To ask the Minister of Finance whether he intends to consider extending the Non Domestic Rates Relief in 2021-22 to those in the non-essential retail supply chain who have experienced a severe downturn in trade as a result of the COVID-19 Public Health Restrictions.

The business rate relief measures which I announced on 11 March 2021 are informed by updated expert research from the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre. This research recognised that whereas most sectors of the economy have been impacted by the ongoing crisis, some have been impacted more significantly than others. This work assisted the Executive in its decision on the scale and targeting of rate relief for the coming year, recognising the need to prioritise this support to where the need is greatest, given the resources available.

That analysis did not identify general wholesale distributors supplying non-essential or non-food retail customers as in the group of greatest need. It did, however, identify the food service supply chain of wholesalers and distributors who purchase from the agri-food manufacturers and sell to the hospitality sector is a high priority sector. Although this relatively small sub-sector merited targeted support, identifying and appropriately supporting these properties through the rating system presents practical challenges; they could be considered for support by the Department for the Economy.