John Hayes

All Mission Boards have met since 5 July 2024.

It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees - including mission boards - is not normally shared publicly.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. The most recent publication of transparency data took place on 29th August 2024.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. The most recent publication of transparency data took place on 29th August 2024.

DBT provides a wide-ranging package of export support for food and drink businesses in Lincolnshire and the whole of the UK. This includes educational support to upskill food producers via our Export Academy and one to one support from International Trade Advisors and our extensive overseas network, with trade advisors promoting UK food in over 100 countries. Overseas we deliver a comprehensive programme of trade shows, trade missions and events to connect exporters with buyer and new market opportunities. Our UK Export Finance agency helps companies access export finance, with a dedicated finance manager covering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Rutland.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) looks to encourage investment across the UK, working closely with relevant economic development and inward investment officers across the whole of the Lincolnshire region.

Investment into the region has seen 1,295 new jobs were created in the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area in 2021-22, 1,159 in 2022-23 and 198 in 2023-24. Statistics at LEP level are not available for previous years.

The estimated economic impact of FDI in the UK in 2023-24 was £5.8bn and analysis shows that FDI has a net economic benefit to the whole of the UK.

Independent brewers, including those in Lincolnshire, are at the heart of many of our communities and important for economic growth.

The government is reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and will consult on ways to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and local economies.

This Government will be publishing our Small Business Strategy next year. This will set out our vision for all small businesses, from boosting scale-ups to growing the co-operative economy.

Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

Official statistics at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbt-inward-investment-results-2023-to-2024 show that 1,295 new jobs were created in Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in 2021-22, 1,159 in 2022-23 and 198 in 2023-24. Statistics at LEP level are not available for previous years. Figures were published at International Territorial Level 2 (ITL2) for the first time in 2023-24 which showed that 182 new jobs were created in Lincolnshire. Previous years figures at ITL2 level are not available.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) can impose a financial penalty on a large retailer if, following an investigation, it has been found to have breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The permitted maximum fine is 1% of the retailer’s annual UK turnover, giving the Adjudicator significant scope to impose an appropriate fine in the event of non-compliance. The Government will undertake the fourth statutory review of the GCA’s effectiveness next year which may also consider whether to change the permitted maximum financial penalty the Adjudicator can impose following an investigation.

The Government-owned British Business Bank supports business investment across the UK including through its Nations and Regions Investment Funds. This includes the £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, supporting growing businesses across the Midlands.

Our Growth Hub network, including Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub, supports businesses of all sizes and sectors across England throughout their business journey. The Department for Business and Trade works across the UK, including Greater Lincolnshire, to showcase strong commercial investment opportunities to potential investors and support business to grow. The Government has also agreed a £720 million investment fund as part of the devolution deal for Greater Lincolnshire to support growth and business investment.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has powers to investigate where there are reasonable grounds to suspect the Code has been breached by a designated retailer. If an investigation finds the Code has been breached, the GCA can make recommendations, require the retailer to publish details of any breach and in the most serious cases impose a fine up to 1% of total turnover. The GCA did not launch or conclude an investigation in 2022 or 2023 and therefore did not impose fines on any of the designated retailers.

We are resuming delivery of the UK’s programme negotiating new and updated FTAs, starting with the Gulf Co-operation Council, India, Israel, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Turkey. This is the extent of the current bilateral FTA programme. The Secretary of State has written to these international partners, and we expect the first discussions in the resumed programme to start this Autumn. We are also committed to ensuring UK businesses can take full advantage of CPTPP when it enters into force in December.

Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties currently benefit from 75 per cent business rates relief, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25. The small business multiplier is frozen at 49.9p for 2024/25.

The government identified that the current business rates system disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets. In England, the government will replace the business rates system, so we can raise the same revenue but in a fairer way.

We will establish Skills England, a new partnership with employers at its heart and reform the apprenticeship levy, a key ask of hospitality businesses.

The English Devolution Bill will establish a new framework for English devolution. It will give local leaders the tools they need to drive growth, including empowering communities with a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, such as empty shops and pubs.

Small businesses are the beating heart of our high streets, our communities, and essential to our economic success. This Government will hardwire the voice of small business into everything we do.

The Government is committed to improving access to finance for small businesses by reforming the British Business Bank and freeing up capital for small and medium-sized firms so they can expand. We have also announced our plan to align key institutions under the National Wealth Fund, which will boost growth and unlock investment. They can also access support from UK Export Finance, which helps UK exporters win contracts, fulfil orders, and receive payment by providing guarantees, insurance and loans to support export activities.

Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties currently benefit from 75 per cent business rates relief, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25. The small business multiplier is frozen at 49.9p for 2024/25, protecting over a million ratepayers from bill increases.

The British Business Bank supports SMEs to grow by improving their access to finance. The Growth Guarantee Scheme offers a 70% government guarantee on loans to SMEs of up to £2 million in Great Britain, and £1 million in Northern Ireland and is available until the end of March 2026.

The latest statistics for the number of households in fuel poverty in 2022 in administrative areas and parliamentary constituencies in England can be found in the published sub-regional fuel poverty statistics, in Tables 2 and 4: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics

The Government is committed to ensuring energy bills are affordable for all consumers.

The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. We expect around 3 million households to receive this support this winter.

Although standing charges are a commercial matter for suppliers, and are regulated by Ofgem, we know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on them. The Government has worked constructively with the regulator on the issue of standing charges, and we are committed to lowering the cost of them.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, we have committed £3.4 billion over the next three years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. This includes £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes, helping over 225,000 households reduce their energy bills by over £200. We will set out the full details of our ambitious Warm Homes Plan next spring.

The Government does not design or develop the electricity network, and it is for the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to assess and recommend high-level reinforcements to the electricity network. Transmission Owners then develop the network on the basis of those recommendations. The NESO recently published advice on possible pathways to achieve clean power by 2030, which includes an assessment of required transmission reinforcements. Using this advice, Government will publish its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan later this year.

Developers of transmission projects and all nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales must assess the impacts of their proposals. This includes conducting assessments of projects’ impacts on the environment and habitats through Environmental Impact Assessments and Habitats Regulations Assessments. Additionally, developers engage with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders through consultations to ensure their feedback is considered and incorporated into project proposals. All of this is considered in the project consenting process.

The Government’s policy on undergrounding is set out in the energy National Policy Statement for electricity networks (EN-5), which sets a strong starting presumption of overhead lines, except in nationally designated landscapes, where undergrounding is the starting presumption.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK

On 22 October 2024, together with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, we commissioned NESO to produce the first ever Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across Great Britain. The SSEP will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessment and take into account views of both rural and urban communities to ensure the impacts of energy infrastructure on local areas are properly considered.

Support for boosting energy efficiency in homes is currently available through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Scheme, Home Upgrade Grant, Energy Company Obligation Scheme and the Great British Insulation scheme. These schemes are available across the country, including to those based in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. We have also announced a new Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, with delivery expected in 2025.

The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will partner with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan.

Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.

The design and development of electricity transmission infrastructure is a matter for the developer, with the implications of those choices considered through the planning process. The government’s position, as set out in National Policy Statement for electricity networks infrastructure (NPS EN-5), is that overhead lines should be the strong starting presumption for electricity networks developments in general, except in nationally designated landscapes where undergrounding is the starting presumption.

The Government cannot comment on specific projects which will come before the Secretary of State for a final planning decision. All projects, regardless of location, must go through the independent and robust planning process.

We are committed to ensuring that communities who live near new transmission infrastructure can see the benefits of it and are considering how to most effectively deliver this.