Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Karen Lumley Excerpts
Thursday 23rd January 2014

(10 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are, of course, an open economy and we export and welcome companies from abroad that invest here, but we can do more to support our supply chains so that more prime manufacturers in Britain also purchase from SMEs across the country. Indeed, I remember visiting the company to which he refers. It is an excellent example of what we are talking about.

Karen Lumley Portrait Karen Lumley (Redditch) (Con)
- Hansard - -

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

Vince Cable Portrait The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Vince Cable)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My Department is concerned with the promotion of growth, recovery and a rebalanced economy.

Karen Lumley Portrait Karen Lumley
- Hansard - -

Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Bee Design Consultancy, which I visited last Friday in my constituency? In the past few years, it has gone from having two employees to 19, and it now exports its skills all over the world, recently to Lamborghini in Italy. I invite him to come to Redditch to visit the company next time he is in the west midlands.

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I would be delighted to come to my hon. Friend’s constituency and share that success. It is not just about mainstream car producers, but specialists, as she describes.