Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support small businesses in Hull affected by the covid-19 pandemic.

The Government delivered a package of support for business including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, business rates relief, grants and loans. Hull City Council received £120m in grant support, reporting payments worth £99m to their businesses.

Two years on, and thanks to our successful vaccination programme, the immunity built up in the population and antiviral and therapeutics tools, the UK is in the strongest position to learn how to live with COVID-19 and end government regulation.