The UK hospitality industry is responsible for around three million jobs and it generates £130Bn, resulting in £38Bn in taxation. There is a dedicated Arts and Sports Minister but not one for the hospitality industry.
The petition claims a dedicated Hospitality Minister would be ‘beneficial to the Government & industry during the pandemic’ as they would be able to liaise with industry representatives.
The UK parliament considers all petitions that get more than 100,00 signatures for a debate.
On 3 November 2020 the Government responded to the petition, which at that point had under 40,000 signatures: “The Government recognises the importance of the UK’s hospitality sector, which plays a vital role in supporting local communities up and down the country and the UK economy.
“The sector is extremely broad, ranging from the arts and entertainment to pubs, cafes and restaurants, and as such responsibility for the sector as a whole is shared by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport.”
Chefs including Angela Hartnett, Marcus Weaving and Paul Ainsworth have supported the campaign for a dedicated Hospitality Minister.