Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what plans he has to expand the British Business Bank's support for investment funds specialising in manufacturing SMEs and lower mid-market businesses.

The British Business Bank invests in funds specialising in manufacturing SMEs and lower mid-market businesses through their Industrial Strategy Growth Capital programme. The British Business Bank invests in a portfolio approach so that they have coverage across the Industrial Strategy sectors and have already supported funds such as Elbow Beach Capital, which specialises in investing in high-growth manufacturing businesses and FPE Capital investing in lower mid-market businesses.

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade keeps British Business Bank support for funds across all sectors under active review based upon market conditions and access to capital gaps.