Dear constituent,

Thank you for your email about night timepiece industries in the context of Covid.

Following recent increases in COVID-19 cases, due to the spread of both Delta and Omicron variants, the Prime Minister recommended that, although he was not closing pubs and restaurants, members of the public should think carefully ahead of socialising at Christmas and visiting public places.

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, also stated that people should, in effect, review social contact, warning of a serious threat from the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Business groups have said there needs to be more support for industries hit by a resulting fall in confidence during the Christmas season. I agree with that request and along with colleagues have made that clear.

In my view, the level of support should match the economic restrictions in place. Adherence to advice to “deprioritise” social contact will have a clear and direct impact on the hospitality industry, live music, theatre and other public events across the country and it is wrong to pretend businesses can currently trade normally.

I believe any package should be timely, proportionate and properly targeted and must guard against fraud, and it needs the full and focused application of Treasury Ministers and officials, as businesses were losing bookings by the hour.

It really is time for the Government to set out comprehensive measures to ensure those needing to isolate will have proper sick pay, to help hospitality businesses affected by the latest advice on social contact and clarify if any support will also apply to live music, theatre and other events. It must also take measures to maintain supply chains, should they be affected by staff absences in the coming weeks, respond to the hospitality industry’s call to maintain the VAT rates for that sector at 12.5%, and allow local authorities to release any unused funds they may have from previous COVID-19 aid packages to support businesses right now.

The Government should work as closely with businesses, including those sectors such the night time sector, to ensure that they get all the support they need. After all during the global banking crisis - largely a crisis self inflicted by those institutions - in one fashion or another, they received support of almost £1.162 trillion at the peak of the crisis. I see no reason why industries and individuals who are affected by the current pandemic, which they had no part in creating, should not get the support the need.

I appreciate the time you have taken to write to me about this issue.

Your sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP