Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is making an assessment of the potential merits of introducing funding schemes similar to the Eat Out to Help Out initiative in support of events organisers and trade fairs.

The Government recognises the extreme disruption the necessary actions to combat Covid-19 are having on sectors like events and the trade fair industry.

That is why the Government has announced unprecedented support for businesses and individuals during the pandemic, including those in events industries. This includes the deferral of VAT payments, a yearlong business rates holiday for eligible businesses, a range of government-backed and guaranteed loan schemes, the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund, and the Discretionary Grant. Additionally, many events are able to reopen at a small scale with social distancing measures.

During this difficult time the Treasury is working intensively with employers, delivery partners, industry groups and other government departments to understand the long-term effects of social distancing across all key areas of the economy.

We will continue to monitor the impact of government support on public services, businesses, individuals and sectors as we respond to this pandemic, and keep all policies under review