Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Garnier Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

We have already made it clear that we would encourage companies to pay the living wage if they could afford it, but we need to be very clear that this is not a mandated system. Indeed, the Low Pay Commission has expressed considerable care in its recommendations to be sure that in promoting a higher level of wages at the bottom, which we want to see, we do not force large numbers of workers out of work.

[Mark Garnier (Wyre Forest) (Con)]

12. What steps he is taking to support businesses affected by recent floods.

[The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Michael Fallon)]

We have funded a £10 million business support scheme which is available to businesses that have been flooded or significantly impacted by the floods. The grant can help businesses with clean-up costs, drying equipment, temporary accommodation and marketing. This is part of a wider package that includes 100% business rate relief for three months and new repair and renewal grants.

[Mark Garnier]

I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for that answer and for all the Government are doing to help businesses affected by the floods. In my constituency, 29 businesses, mainly in the town of Stourport-on-Severn, have been directly flooded and a number of others have been indirectly affected. So far, Wyre Forest has not been included in the first tranche of the direct support grant. Can my right hon. Friend reassure my constituents that those businesses that have been affected will be supported when the second tranche is announced next week?

[Michael Fallon]

Yes. With the first round of funding—some £5 million—the aim was to get the money out and allocated to local authorities as quickly as possible. We are in touch with other local authorities, including Wyre Forest district council, and I hope the second round of funding will be allocated very shortly.