Watch Hastings and Rye MP ask question in first virtual PMQs

During the very first virtual Prime Minister’s Questions, due to the coronavirus crisis, Sally-Ann Hart appeared via video link to put her question to foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Boris Johnson while he continues his recovery from Covid-19.

She said: “Beautiful Hastings and Rye is heavily dependent on tourism as a major driver in the local economy.

“Covid-19 has badly hit the toursim, leisure and hospitality industries and has my Right Honourable friend considered what measures are needed to, firstly, encourage domestic tourism and, secondly, ensure that tourism and tourism-related businesses are given the right support to enable recovery from the impact of Covid-19 and revive our local economies?”

Mr Raab said the Hastings and Rye MP had made a ‘really important point’.

In response, he added: “We know that the coronavirus is significantly affecting the tourist industry.

“The chancellor has set out unprecedented support for businesses and workers, including those in the tourism sector. That includes business rates support for hospitality and leisure businesses.

“We have also announced a £1.3m scheme through Visit England to provide support to destination management organisations at risk of closure because of the coronavirus pandemic, to see them through this difficult time.

“We are committed to helping the industry get through this crisis so that we can encourage people to take holidays and to revive the tourism sector as we come through the crisis.”

Afterwards, Mrs Hart said: “From my sitting room I had the opportunity to ask the First Secretary (who was standing in for our Prime Minister), Dominic Raab MP, about the plans the Government are putting in place to support local economies like those in Hastings and Rye which are heavily dependent on tourism, hospitability and leisure sectors.

“I was encouraged to hear of the support already on offer to these sectors, and the commitment to ensure our tourism sector thrives after this Covid-19 pandemic.

“However, I will continue to fight hard for our local economy to ensure that businesses come back fighting and that the talents, ingenuity and creativity of everyone in beautiful Hastings and Rye are unleashed as we bounce back from this crisis.

“I know that together our businesses and local economy will come out of this crisis stronger, and I will do all I can as your local MP to ensure this happens.”