Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 support (a) vaccine manufacturing and (b) UK life sciences.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The UK is home to one of the strongest, most productive health and life sciences industries globally, and the support of the sector is critical to our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Government is working closely with the sector, including on the UK’s capacity to manufacture new vaccines at scale, where efforts are being overseen by the newly established Vaccines Taskforce. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a host of measures to help businesses, including in the life sciences sector, to manage increased costs and disrupted cashflow as a result of the outbreak, with £330bn worth of government backed and guaranteed loans.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 support SMEs to design new ways of working in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
Government is already supporting Be the Business, the business-led independent charity which launched in 2017: its key intention is to help every UK SME to improve their productivity and is backed by some of Britain’s most high-profile businesses.In response to the COVID19 outbreak, Be the Business have augmented their original offer of support by publishing a range of online advice and guidance to help SMEs adapt their business practices. This includes case studies, ‘how to guides’, podcasts and video interviews sharing the experiences of business owners and entrepreneurs who have already made changes to adapt their business to survive in the new business environment. Be the Business are also adapting their existing support programmes to help SMEs prepare for recovery and build resilience, including via one-to-one virtual surgeries, peer-to-peer learning networks and a 12-week rapid response mentoring programme.
The £9 million Business Basics Programme, launched in June 2018, is already testing innovative ways of encouraging SMEs to take-up proven technology (such as accountancy or customer relationship management software) and business practices that can boost productivity.
Our regular contact with major UK Business Representative Organisations (BROs) – including with the Federation for Small Businesses, the British Chambers of Commerce and MAKE UK, the Manufacturers Organisation and UK Finance – has been increased considerably, to understand where support is needed most for SMEs. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have held weekly calls with the BROs to gain feedback on government support measures; and we have initiated additional calls to announce additions and developments to the suite of COVID19 business finance, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme.
Government departments are also hosting a series of free webinars - via Teams, Twitter and Facebook - week commencing 4 May to help businesses understand the support available during the COVID outbreak.
This is in addition to the business support already launched in March to help businesses in COVID19: this includes
? A Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme where small and large employers will be eligible to apply for a government grant of 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month. The scheme will be backdated to March 1 and available for at least three months, with first grants to be paid within weeks.
? Deferral of the next quarter of VAT payments for firms, until the end of June - representing a £30bn injection into the economy.
? £330bn worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses.
? A Bounce Back Loans scheme, which will provide loans of up to £50,000 to benefit small businesses with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders. These loans will be interest free for the first 12 months and businesses can apply online through a short and simple form.
? A Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will help eligible freelance workers receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least three months.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 insolvency measures do not inhibit otherwise viable businesses from trading during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government announced on 28th March, plans to amend insolvency law to give companies a breathing space to help keep trading whilst exploring options for rescue as a going concern. In addition, the Government announced a temporary suspension of wrongful trading provisions to support company directors to continue trading through the Covid-19 pandemic without the threat of personal liability. The Government has also announced a temporary suspension of the use of statutory demands made between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2020 and a restriction on winding up petitions presented from 27 April to 30 June, where a company cannot pay its bills due to the coronavirus emergency. This is to further support companies experiencing trading difficulties at this time and to help ensure that viable businesses are able to continue as a going concern.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 help the UK space industry use its skills to support the UK response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
The UK Space Agency, working with NHS England and the European Space Agency, has made £2.6 million available through a new, fast, contracting process enabling robust scrutiny, but swift development for ‘close to market’ ideas to manage pandemics.
The UK Space Agency feeds information and data about the current state of the space sector into the wider Cabinet Office contingency planning strategy. In order to facilitate this, the UK Space Agency distributes regular surveys to space operators to understand their resilience.
The UK Space Agency is also working with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to accelerate drone applications within healthcare to support logistics, such as the safe delivery of personal protective equipment and test samples between sites.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 support the manufacturing sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Manufacturing is a critical part of our economy. The Department is committed to ongoing engagement with industry to ensure that our manufacturers and their workforce have the support they need, including guidance on how to maintain production safely, where possible. Many companies across the aerospace, chemical, automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical, and packaging sectors, including those providing essential services and materials, have answered the Government’s call to action. Industry is playing a direct role in our national effort by producing the material we need to fight the spread of the virus.
We have put in place an unprecedented package of Government support to help businesses, which includes providing manufacturers with the support they need to help them get back up and running. Measures include:
The Department has also issued sector-specific advice for manufacturers regarding social distancing in the workplace, which is helping employees to continue working safely during the crisis. This advice is available at:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 people’s energy needs are met during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government has introduced a range of measures to address the Covid-19 outbreak, recognising the pressures facing many UK households.
In addition, and specifically for energy, on 19 March the Government secrured an industry-wide voluntary agreement with all domestic energy suppliers to a set of principles for assisting consumers, including those with pre-payment meters, through the difficulties caused by Covid-19.
This agreement requires all energy suppliers to identify and prioritise consumers at risk, support consumers who are impacted financially as a direct or indirect result of Covid-19, support pre-payment meter customers directly or indirectly impacted by Covid-19 to stay on supply, and to provide information to their consumers.
Details can be found at:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 support SMEs during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been working across Government to provide £13 billion of grant funding to help small and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors manage their cashflow through this period.
This support will take the form of two grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).
Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF):
All businesses in England in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and Rural Rates Relief (RRR) in the business rates system will be eligible for a payment of £10,000.
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF):
Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property:
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 (a) small retailers, (b) businesses in the agricultural and horticulture sector and (c) other eligible businesses are able to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) is open to eligible businesses operating in most sectors, including small retailers and businesses in agriculture and horticulture. Agriculture businesses may not qualify for the full interest and lender-levied fee payment paid by government.
In order to be eligible for the CBILS, businesses must:
For more information on the scheme, businesses should visit the British Business Bank website: www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-business-interruption-loan-schemes/clbils/
The Government has responded to feedback to ensure that companies feel the full benefits of available support through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) by:
The Government will continue to see if there are other areas for improvement across the scheme as a whole.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 the resilience and competitiveness of international energy markets.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented falls in demand in global energy markets and increased market volatility. Ensuring reliability, stability and security of energy supply during this global emergency is vital. The UK remains a strong supporter of free, transparent, and competitive energy markets and we are working closely with actors right across the sector to ensure that global energy systems remain secure and reliable
I attended an extraordinary meeting of G20 Energy Ministers held on 10 April to discuss the impact of the Covid 19 on global energy markets. At that meeting Ministers agreed that ensuring energy market stability and affordable and secure energy are key in addressing the health, well-being and resilience of all countries throughout the crisis response and recovery phases.
G20 Ministers also committed to work together to develop collaborative policy responses to ensure market stability across all energy sources, the security of our energy systems, and the uninterrupted flow of energy.
We continue to monitor market developments and remain in regular contact with G20 and other international partners.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 the UK is not dependent on the supply of (a) foodstuffs, (b) medicines and (c) other essential goods from other countries after the resolution of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Government is working around the clock to support UK manufacturers to continue producing essential goods and products. Industry has risen to the challenge, working with UK suppliers to produce ventilators and other vital equipment.
We have put in place an unprecedented package of Government support to help with business continuity and to give manufacturers and their suppliers the support they need to ensure they can get back up and running after the Covid-19 crisis. These measures include:
- £330 billion of Government-backed and guaranteed loans to support UK businesses.
- The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to help small and medium-sized businesses to access vital financial support.
- Our new Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme to allow more firms to benefit from Government-backed support during this difficult time.
- Deferring VAT payments for firms until the end of June 2020, which represents a £30 billion injection into the economy.
- Our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, where small and large employers will be eligible to apply for a Government grant of 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month, backdated to 1 March 2020 and available for at least three months.
Our high degree of food security is built on access to a range of sources, including our strong domestic production and imports from a range of stable sources around the world. It is important that we have access to a diverse range of supply through international trade for consumer choice. It is also vital that we supplement domestic production and ensure that any disruption from adverse weather or disease does not affect our overall security of supply.
There are over 14,000 medicines currently licensed for use and marketed in the UK. Whilst some of these are manufactured in the UK, most are manufactured abroad. Where medicines are manufactured here, the active ingredients and excipients for those medicines may be manufactured abroad. It is not possible to manufacture every medicine and the active ingredients and excipients needed for these medicines here in the UK
The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. However, the Department of Health and Social Care has established robust procedures to deal with any medicine shortages and there is a team within that Department which helps prevent shortages.