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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to extend eligibility to the covid-19 small business grant fund and business rates holiday to tenants of New Covent Garden Flower Market that occupy larger units with a rateable value of £15,000 or more to allow those businesses access to the same support available to tenants with smaller units.

The Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF), the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF) and the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF) have supported many thousands of small businesses through this challenging period.  Between April and September 2020, over £11.68 billion was paid out to 999,735 business premises. I am grateful for the hard work of Local Authorities in delivering this funding.

These schemes are now closed, and we are unable to extend the eligibility criteria.

Local authorities are responsible for decisions about the award of business rates relief having regard to legislation and guidance. Markets may be eligible for the expanded retail discount if the local authority’s view is that they meet the criteria but there is no rateable value limit for the scheme.