AQW 15686/17-22


Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down


Tabled Date: 02/03/2021
Answered On Date: 22/03/2021
Priority Written: Yes


Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy, in light of her recent decision to open up the Large Tourism and Hospitality Business Support Scheme to large entertainment and leisure businesses, to detail the criteria that shall be used to define large entertainment and leisure businesses to be deemed eligible to receive assistance under the scheme.


Answer:
To be eligible for the Large Tourism and Hospitality Business Support Scheme (LTHBSS) it is essential that the business must be in the tourism and hospitality sectors with a NAV £51,001 and above and also be in receipt of the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme. The LTHBSS provides “top-up” grant support to LRSS for large businesses in these sectors in order help them meet significant and unavoidable fixed costs. The focus of the LTHBSS is in supporting Northern Ireland’s tourism ecosystem primarily visitor experiences (e.g. attractions, activities, hospitality/ food) and places for visitors to stay (i.e. accommodation). My officials, working closely with Tourism NI, have identified the businesses categories that areproviders of tourism assets. This include providers of leisure and entertainment in circumstances where such provision is clearly providing a tourism asset. In defining the scope of the LTHBSS, my officials also worked closely with the Department for Communities and Department of Finance to ensure the alignment of remit and policy intent of respective Covid response schemes, and to seek to avoid overlap and over compensation. Many large providers of leisure and entertainment – such as cinemas, theatres, exhibition/conference centres - were within the remit of the Covid-19 funding schemes put in place by DfC and are outside the remit of the LTHBSS. My Department has delivered £350m of lifeline support to the Northern Ireland economy, and is in the process of delivering another £200m of essential support to businesses in NI. This is an extremely difficult and challenging time for businesses, individuals and our economy in general, and the Executive will continue to do all that it can to protect both lives and livelihoods. This is a very live and fluid situation and I would encourage everyone to continue to monitor the websites below, and to listen for any future announcements through the various media outlets. Further details can be found or will be published on the NI Business Info website, whilst new financial packages of support announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will appear on the UK Coronavirus Business support site. I have included a link to both for your information: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/campaign/coronavirus-updates-support-yourbusiness https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support