To ask the Minister of Finance to detail the average timescale for the processing of Localised Restrictions Support Scheme Grant Applications, from the point of application to processing of payment.

In the interests of making processing of applications its first priority, LPS has not spent time recording metrics which would enable the accurate calculation of a figure for the average timescale of processing an application.

The main body of applications was received for the period from 15th October 2020 to 10th December 2020. LPS was not in a position to start issuing payments for these until regulations were in place on 30th October 2020. In the 7 week period from 30th October 2020 to 18th December 2020, LPS has processed 12,535 applications. The total number of applications received to date is 14,415, with new applications being submitted daily. The average number of applications processed per week is 1,790.