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BEIS, business, coronavirus, retail

Committee examine impact of coronavirus on small businesses and retail sector

24 April 2020

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On Thursday morning, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee will hold an evidence hearing as part of its inquiry into the impact of the coronavirus on businesses and workers, with next week’s session focussing on the effects on small businesses and the retail sector.

Purpose of the session

Questions are likely to focus on issues around treatment of suppliers, including around payment practices, and the effectiveness of Government’s package of measures for small businesses, larger retailers and their landlords. The Committee will also likely focus on questions around the Government actions necessary to sequence the end of the lockdown and provide support for businesses to recover as they emerge during this period.

This session will be held virtually and will be available to watch on Parliament TV.

Details of the process for the election of a new Chair of the BEIS Committee are included further below. This follows the stepping down of Rachel Reeves as Chair of the BEIS Committee after her recent appointment to the Shadow Cabinet.

Witnesses

At 9.30am

Thursday 30th April

Panel One (from 9.30am)

  • Philip King, Interim Small Business Commissioner, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy;
  • Martin McTague, National Vice Chair Policy and Advocacy, Federation of Small Businesses;
  • Adam Marshall, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce

Panel Two (from around 10.15am)

  • Helen Dickinson OBE, CEO, British Retail Consortium
  • Andrew Goodacre, CEO, The British Independent Retailers Association
  • Melanie Leech, CEO, British Property Federation

Election of the Chair of the BEIS Committee

Arrangements have been announced for the election of the Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee.

Nominations will open on Monday 27 April at 10am and close on Monday 4 May at 12 noon.  If needed, an online ballot will take place on 6 May between 10am and 2pm.

More details on the process for the election of the Chair of the BEIS Committee are available.

In the interim, the BEIS Committee is being chaired by the Committee’s Vice-Chair, Mark Pawsey.

Further information