Writing today to the Secretary of State for Health, Bradford East MP, Imran Hussain has pressed the Government to ensure that sufficient support is available for businesses affected by new Coronavirus measures.

On Thursday 08 December 2021, the Secretary of State for Health announced to Parliament that from Monday 13 December 2021, those who are able to work from home should do so, alongside the introduction of Coronavirus passes from later next week for nightclubs and large venues.

In response to the statement, Imran pressed the Secretary of State for Health on whether enough support is available for those businesses affected by those who will be negatively impacted by the decreased footfall caused by more people working from home, with the Secretary of State responding that the need for further support will be kept under review by the Government.

However, in his letter to the Secretary of State for Health, Imran has expressed his concern that the viability of many businesses will still be threatened by the impact of the Government’s advice to return to working from home arrangements, and has therefore pressed the Government for guarantees that support will be available where it is needed by these businesses and individuals.

Speaking on his demand for the Government to guarantee that support will be available for businesses affected by Coronavirus restrictions, Imran said:

“Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, many businesses and self-employed workers in Bradford have been pushed to the brink and have gone to the wall because of a lack of Government support, with many excluded from the Chancellor’s schemes. It is vital that if further restrictions need to be imposed to keep people safe, businesses and individuals do not see a fall in their incomes and lost out financially.

“The Health Secretary and the Chancellor must now ensure that sufficient financial and other support will be available for those in the leisure and hospitality sector in particular, as well as the taxi trade, who will inevitably see a fall in their incomes at one of the busiest times of the year because of the measures that the Government have put in place.”