To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what support his Department is providing to the Scottish tourism industry during the covid-19 pandemic.

Ministers and officials in the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland are in regular contact with Scottish businesses and their representative organisations, including those in the tourism sector.

The UK Government recognises that this is a challenging time for the sector. This is why the Chancellor has committed an unprecedented package of business support. This includes a range of loan schemes, grants, self-employment support and the Job Retention Scheme. Business representative organisations I have talked with have welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement of the Job Retention Scheme’s extension to October.

In addition, we will continue to work collaboratively with the Scottish Government to support the tourism industry in Scotland during the Covid-19 pandemic.