Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) effectiveness of the that role district councils played in the rapid deployment of the £9 billion covid-19 business support grants programme and (b) impact that role had on preserving businesses and jobs; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for businesses, including grants for those businesses that are required to close, or which are severely affected by the restrictions put in place to tackle Covid-19 and save lives. Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has allocated a total of over £26 billion on business grants. All Covid-19 Business Grant schemes have been administered through lower tier local authorities in England

The Government recognises the important and valuable contribution that local government employees make to the delivery of excellent public services, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has presented real and complex challenges for local authorities and has put their resources under pressure.  

The Government continues to work closely with local authorities in England to support the implementation of business grants during the Covid-19 pandemic and monitor the distribution of grant funds.