Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2020 to Question 59788; if will provide a breakdown of the £6 billion figure referenced in the Answer.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
As stated previously, the Government is providing over £6 billion of support to the aviation and aerospace sectors. UK Export Finance expects to support £3.5 billion of aerospace exports over the next 18 months, up sharply from £1.15 billion over the past two financial years.
Under the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Finance Facility, £2.16 billion of loans have been made to airlines and aerospace companies affected by a short-term funding squeeze.
We are also providing support over the next three years for research on the next generation of aerospace technologies, through £450 million of Aerospace Technology Institute programme funding, as well as £70 million through the Future Flight programme.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much financial support his Department has allocated to the aerospace sector since the start of the covid-19 lockdown; and what plans he has to provide further support to that sector.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Aerospace companies have benefitted from the Government’s extensive financial support package, on top of existing support measures for the sector.
The UK’s aviation and aerospace sectors can expect to benefit from over £6 billion of support through UK Export Finance, the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Finance Facility, research and development grants, and other measures.
We will continue to support the UK aerospace industry to get back on its feet to protect jobs across the UK.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that consumers who were unable to travel on package holidays due to the covid-19 outbreak receive (a) a full refund or (b) a Government-backed transferable voucher equal to the amount paid.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Consumers are entitled to a refund?if forced to cancel a package holiday due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which should be issued?within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Businesses in the sector are offering consumers vouchers or refund credit notes but acceptance must be the choice of the consumer who retains the right to a cash refund. Further information on the rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses was published on 30 April by the Competition and Markets Authority who have also set up a covid-19 taskforce for consumers seeking refunds.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that solar energy is (a) accessible and (b) affordable to all households.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
Solar is a UK success story, having until now received 81% of the £5.9bn Feed in Tariff scheme, which has enabled 6.5 GW of new renewable generation across the country. In the future, our proposals for a Smart Export Guarantee will ensure that all small-scale generators are paid for the power they export to the grid. This coupled with the fact that residential solar panels are now over 50% cheaper than in 2011, makes solar more accessible and affordable than ever.
Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the defence sector of the UK leaving the REACH chemical framework after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy recognises the importance of the continued availability of specialist chemicals from the EU to the Defence Sector after we have left the European Union. BEIS is working closely with the chemical industry to understand the impacts resulting from UK’s exit from the EU. We want to minimise the regulatory and market access barriers for UK businesses, including for those in the chemicals sector. We want to ensure that UK companies including our Defence Sector have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in the UK.