To ask the Minister for the Economy why businesses involving sports where participants get out of breath and have, therefore, been instructed to remain closed from 11 December 2020, have not continued to receive financial support; and whether she will instruct Invest NI to continue to provide weekly allocations to these businesses.

The policy intent of the Covid Restrictions Business Support Scheme (CRBSS) is to provide support to businesses who are named in the Health Protection Regulations effective from 16 October, or in the direct supply chain and have been significantly impacted by the regulations, and are not receiving other support from other NI Covid related schemes.

As such, businesses that are eligible for CRBSS and were required to stay closed from 11 December 2020 to 25 December 2020 via the Health Protection Regulations will receive support for this period at the same rate as the other periods of restrictions. Confirmation of this has been provided to Invest NI.