Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Olney Excerpts

Tuesday 29th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

I welcome the measures announced by the Chancellor last week and agree that manufacturing is a key component of the UK’s thriving industrial sector. The job support scheme will provide eligible manufacturing businesses in Clwyd South with a grant covering one third of all employees’ wages for hours not worked, up to a cap of £697.92 a month. Furthermore, the deadline for applications for coronavirus business interruption loans and the future fund has now been extended to 30 November.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

More than 90% of the UK’s manufacturing companies have kept working, even at the height of the pandemic, keeping food on supermarket shelves and medicines and ventilators in our hospitals. However, many of them will face a major crisis when the furlough scheme ends in a few weeks’ time. Demand is still incredibly low in some parts of industry, but Government support is being withdrawn. It is patently obvious that the well-paid and highly skilled jobs that we have in sectors such as aerospace and aviation should be the foundations of our future economic growth and the public will not forget it if the Government allow them to wither on the vine. As the voice of business within the Government—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We cannot read out a speech. It has to be a question, very short and very brief. It is a supplementary.

[Sarah Olney]

May I ask the Minister, as the voice of business within the Government, what she is doing to ensure that these vital jobs and skills are being protected?

[Amanda Solloway]

The hon. Lady will know that the Government are absolutely committed to making sure that businesses are the future of the economy and that we need to get the economy back on track. We have invested billions of pounds making sure that we have all the schemes in place that will enable this economy to thrive.