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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help support pubs with the rising costs of alcohol.

We recognise the impact rising prices will have on businesses of all sizes and we regularly engage with hospitality businesses and suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect businesses. The recently announced Energy Bill Relief Scheme ensures that all businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period.

We have also provided temporary business rates relief of 50% in 2022-23 for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses worth almost £1.7 billion.