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 utilise advice from the engineering sector as part of the Government's response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, we have closely engaged with the engineering and manufacturing sectors, ensuring that their input helps to shape the Government’s response.

We have also worked closely with businesses, business bodies, trade unions, Public Health England, and workplace safety experts to develop a “national consensus” on the safest ways of working across the economy. This has included engagement with stakeholders from the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Through this work we have developed specific guidance for different types of workplaces, including factories, plants, and warehouses.

Last week, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy convened a series of Economic Recovery roundtables, bringing together businesses, business representative groups, and leading academics to consider measures to support economic recovery and ensure we have the right skills and opportunities in place for our workforce.