Public Health Restrictions: Government Economic Support

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:38 pm on 13 October 2020.

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Photo of Steve Barclay Steve Barclay The Chief Secretary to the Treasury 12:38, 13 October 2020

The very favourable terms of the bounce back loans were designed to deliver with speed. This was an initial challenge of the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme; we received feedback from debate in the House and elsewhere that the speed was not there, so that was part of the design for the bounce back loans. Another part of the design was the Government guarantee to get that credit to people. We have extended access to that scheme and the possible repayment period, so that issue should not be crystallising at this point. Clearly we need to look at the risk with regard to repayments. As I said to Stephen Kinnock, I am happy to work with colleagues around the House, but the hon. Lady will be well aware of the package of measures that we have put in place to protect people vis-à-vis their mortgage and to protect renters from eviction.