Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to support the ceramics industry in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire since his appointment.

The British Industry Supercharger currently supports some ceramics businesses in Great Britain, including in Staffordshire, including in the technical and advanced ceramics, and brick production sectors, for the indirect costs of various electricity policy and network charges. Officials regularly engage with Ceramics UK, the sector’s main trade association, to explore how the ceramics industry can be supported. The Industrial Strategy, along with the Trade Strategy, have set out this Government’s approach to expanding trade opportunities and supporting UK businesses, including ceramics businesses.