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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department made available for hairdressers in response to business disruptions as a result of the omicron variant of covid-19.

Answered by Paul Scully

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Batley and Spen on 27 January 2022 to Question 110644.

While the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant focused on sectors where social mixing was a primary motivation for consumers, Local Authorities were encouraged to support the personal care sector through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme. Local Authorities reported that close to 750,000 payments of ARG, worth a total of over £2 billion, had been made to businesses by 31 March 2022, the scheme closure date.

The additional measures announced on 21 December 2021 reinforced the existing package of wider Government support.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reason hairdressers were not included in the additional grant for hospitality and leisure businesses impacted by the covid-19 omicron variant over the 2021-22 winter period.

Answered by Paul Scully

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Batley and Spen on 27 January 2022 to Question 110644.

While the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant focused on sectors where social mixing was a primary motivation for consumers, Local Authorities were encouraged to support the personal care sector through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme. Local Authorities reported that close to 750,000 payments of ARG, worth a total of over £2 billion, had been made to businesses by 31 March 2022, the scheme closure date.

The additional measures announced on 21 December 2021 reinforced the existing package of wider Government support.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support the Government has put in place for beauty salons affected by Plan B covid-19 restrictions.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In December, Government announced a generous £1 billion package of support for business and their employees to help them manage the effects of the rapid surge of Omicron and bounce back quickly.

The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme, announced on 21 December, is intended to provide targeted support for the food and beverage, accommodation and leisure sectors which offer in-person services. This action was taken to support businesses impacted by the Omicron variant, which led to the public voluntarily restricting their social mixing and reports that many businesses in these sectors had lost 40-60% of their December trade. Personal Care services are not eligible for this scheme.

However, in recognition that other businesses outside the scope of this grant may have been impacted, local authorities in England also received a top-up worth a total of £102 million to their Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund. Distribution of ARG funds is at the local authority's discretion.

Due to the balanced and proportionate approach taken by the Government in response to the Omicron variant, Cabinet has decided to return to Plan A in England.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to provide grant support to people working in the hair and beauty industry.

Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In December we announced a generous £1bn package of support for business and their employees to help them manage the effects of the rapid surge of Omicron. This includes a £102m top-up to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), a discretionary fund delivered by local authorities in England. This is in addition to the £250m of ARG which local authorities report is left over from previous allocations. This scheme is open until 31 March 2022 and I encourage people and businesses impacted by the Omicron variant to contact their local authority.

The Government also continues to support small businesses through the VAT threshold, currently higher than any EU member state.

For those on low income whose earnings continue to be affected by Covid-19 restrictions, work coaches will continue to be able to suspend the Universal Credit Minimum Income Floor on an individual basis for up to six months.

Thanks to our decisive action to implement balanced and proportionate measures in response to the Omicron variant, Cabinet has decided to return to Plan A in England.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason businesses in the personal care industry are not included as recipients of financial support grants for businesses affected by the omicron variant; and what steps his Department is taking to support that industry.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

As a result of the Omicron variant, hospitality and leisure businesses saw significant numbers of cancellations and reduced footfall throughout their peak trading period around Christmas. The aim of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant is to support businesses offering in-person services, where social mixing is the primary motivation for their customers.

However, the Government also recognises that other businesses, including in the personal care industry, may also have been impacted by the Omicron variant. That is why we have provided an extra £102 million of discretionary funding through the Additional Restrictions Grant, on top of the £250 million that local authorities have left from previous allocations.