Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with stakeholders on the future of the (a) workforce and (b) production lines at Spirit AeroSystems in Northern Ireland; and what steps he is taking to help (i) protect jobs and (ii) support the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government recognises the importance of Spirit Aerosystems’ operations, skills, capabilities and experience to the Northern Ireland economy, the wider UK aerospace sector and its future potential in the global market. My department has been a supporter of Spirit AeroSystems’s via Repayable Launch Investment (RLI) and Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) funding, and we retain a strong interest in seeing its operations prosper after the sale process has concluded. Ministers and officials are in conversation with the interested parties, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to ensure the best outcome whereby the new owners commit to invest and grow the businesses, thereby sustaining jobs and safeguarding the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure greater oversight of UK-based multinational corporations.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the King’s Speech, the Government will publish a draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill to strengthen audit and corporate governance oversight of corporations including UK-based multinationals. The draft Bill will uphold standards and independent scrutiny of companies’ reporting and governance, supporting investment and economic security.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Post Office on proposed closures.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State and I recently met with the Post Office Chair, Nigel Railton, and discussed his proposals for the future of the company before Mr Railton announced Post Office's Transformation Plan on 13th November. While Post Office has the freedom to make commercial decisions regarding the composition of its network, Government sets the parameters for the Post Office to operate in.
The Government protects the branch network by setting minimum access criteria which require 99% of the UK population to be within three miles of their nearest Post Office outlet. The access criteria ensure that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of all citizens.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) help prevent Post Office closures in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Bangor, North Down and (b) ensure continued access to (A) postal and (B) banking services in impacted areas.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Government provides an annual £50m Network Subsidy funding to support the delivery of a minimum number of branches and a geographical spread of branches in line with published access criteria. The access criteria ensure that however the network changes, Post Office delivers essential services, including banking and cash services, across all four nations of the UK via its network of 11,500 branches.
The Government further understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all. We have committed to work closely with banks to roll out at least 350 banking hubs, which will provide individuals and businesses up and down the country with critical cash and banking services.