Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effect on the provision of services at (a) schools, (b) care homes, (c) hospitals and (d) other public services of inadequate financial support to ensure the sustainability of the wholesale distribution sector.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency. This support is kept constantly under review and the Government continues to consider how to best support businesses, including those in the wholesale distribution sector.

Wholesale distributors continue to have access to the Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including, but not limited to, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the Discretionary Grant Fund and the four government-backed loan schemes for firms of all sizes. The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.

The Government continues to work hard to support wholesale distributors to ensure that supplies continue to reach our schools, care homes, hospitals and other public services. We will continue to engage with businesses and representative groups in the wholesale sector to support businesses and ensure that the sector has a strong and sustainable recovery.