Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Loder and Lord Sharma

Tuesday 10th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

I would point out that the vaccines taskforce, which sits in my Department and is led by Kate Bingham, has done an absolutely brilliant job over the past few months. We have managed to secure 350 million doses across six of the most promising vaccine candidates. The hon. Gentleman will have seen the statement that came through from Pfizer/BioNTech yesterday; we were the first country in the world to secure access to that particular vaccine candidate. The hon. Gentleman talks about spending; the senior responsible officer, in line with his delegated authority, approved that resourcing in accordance with public sector practices and frameworks.

[Chris Loder (West Dorset) (Con)]

If he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on Government support for Young Enterprise. [R]

UK Internal Market: White Paper

Debate between Chris Loder and Lord Sharma

Thursday 16th July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

The Chancellor set out the position on the furlough scheme clearly. As the hon. Lady knows, he announced the job retention bonus. On green jobs, she will also know that in his summer statement he announced an extra £3 billion for energy efficiency in homes and in public buildings, and that will support about 140,000 green jobs.

[Chris Loder (West Dorset) (Con)]

This White Paper, in ensuring the seamless internal market within the UK that this Government are delivering, is an excellent thing, particularly given that we are delivering the democratic will of the people in leaving the EU. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is particularly good for small and microbusinesses in vast rural constituencies such as mine, where 97% of businesses are small or micro-sized?

[Alok Sharma]

Yes, indeed, because if there were regulatory barriers, for instance, if there were even small differences on things such as food labelling requirements, costs would of course be raised for small businesses, which they ultimately may pass on to consumers. Therefore what we are proposing is good not only for businesses of all sizes, but for consumers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Loder and Lord Sharma

Tuesday 16th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

We have taken a whole-economy approach, as he knows, and I have set out the measures that we have put in place. With regard to the retail and hospitality sectors, we have provided specific support for them in the one-year rates holiday, as well as the additional support that is available, but the key issue here is the safe reopening of the economy, and that is what we want to continue with over the coming weeks.

[Chris Loder (West Dorset) (Con)]

What steps he is taking to support the recovery of businesses in (a) rural areas and (b) market towns during the covid-19 outbreak.