Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the hospitality venue covid-19 restrictions on the food service wholesale industry; what targeted support has been provided for that sector in response to the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers have been eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which businesses have been awarded a loan under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme since 1 January 2020.
Answered by Paul Scully
The table below shows a breakdown of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme facilities offered as per sector as of 4 October.
CBILS by sector:
Sector | Value of Loans Offered (£m) | Number of Loans Offered | Proportion of Offered Facilities |
Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles | 2,612 | 10,270 | 18% |
Manufacturing | 2,047 | 7,376 | 13% |
Construction | 1,785 | 7,815 | 14% |
Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities | 1,444 | 6,009 | 11% |
Administrative and Support Service Activities | 1,376 | 6,017 | 11% |
Accommodation and Food Service Activities | 1,212 | 4,494 | 8% |
Information and Communication | 615 | 2,608 | 5% |
Transportation and Storage | 500 | 2,264 | 4% |
Human Health and Social Work Activities | 453 | 2,496 | 4% |
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 419 | 1,558 | 3% |
Real Estate Activities | 342 | 1,244 | 2% |
Financial and Insurance Activities | 323 | 737 | 1% |
Education | 273 | 827 | 1% |
Other Service Activities | 232 | 1,570 | 3% |
Mining and Quarrying; Electricity, Gas and Air Conditioning Supply; Water Supply; Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation Activities | 196 | 709 | 1% |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing | 85 | 464 | 1% |
Sector not specified | 13 | 33 | 0% |
Details of individual aid awards under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme will be published where required on the European Commission’s Transparency Aid Module in due course.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to extend Business Rates Relief to food and drink wholesalers in Tier 3 local covid-19 alert level areas.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for local authorities on eligible properties. As set out in the guidance, support is targeted at premises that are wholly or mainly being used as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues; for assembly and leisure; or as hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation. It is for local authorities to determine eligibility for reliefs, having regard to guidance issued by the Government.
Local authorities which were subject to restrictions on indoor socialising between 1 August and 5 November will receive funding to allow them to make backdated grants to businesses which were able to remain open during that period, but were experiencing a severe reduction in demand due to these restrictions. Local authorities across England will also receive a total of £1.1bn to provide further business grants and other forms of business support to companies in their areas.
Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the wholesale food and drink sector of including that sector in the Business Rates Relief scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for local authorities on eligible properties. As set out in the guidance, support is targeted at premises that are wholly or mainly being used as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues; for assembly and leisure; or as hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation. It is for local authorities to determine eligibility for reliefs, having regard to guidance issued by the Government.
A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, has also been made available.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend business rates relief to wholesalers servicing public sector food and drink contracts.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has provided enhanced support to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through business rates relief given the direct and acute impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors. Business rates are devolved in Wales, and so are a matter for the Welsh Government.
A range of further measures to support all businesses, including wholesalers, has also been made available.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take immediate steps to prevent job losses and site closures in the food and drink wholesale sector which supplies specialist food to care homes.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers have been eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide financial support to food and drink wholesalers to ensure continuity of food supply to the public sector.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers have been eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent local covid-19 lockdowns on the financial viability of the food and drink wholesale sector.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers are eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of a Federation of Wholesale Distributors survey that without business rates relief in the next month 65 per cent of food and drink wholesalers surveyed will be either very likely, likely or somewhat likely to make redundancies.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers are eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of a recent Federation of Wholesale Distributor’s survey which found that (a) 90 per cent of food and drink wholesalers surveyed are highly likely to make redundancies by the end of the year because of a 50 per cent to 70 per cent reduction in sales, (b) millions of pounds worth of stock not sold due to a loss in customers is close-to or has passed its best before date and (c) almost 60 per cent of wholesalers, which supply to critical public sector infrastructure such as schools, care homes and hospitals are at risk of collapse by the end of the year without urgent financial support; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government has provided unprecedented levels of support for workers and businesses to protect, as much as possible, against the current economic emergency. Food and drink wholesalers are eligible for a number of these support schemes, with the most relevant likely to include:
Food and drink wholesalers have also benefited from the recent Eat Out to Help Out Scheme which provided over 100 million half price meals during August and helped to protect the livelihoods of the 1.8 million people working in the hospitality sector.