Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support jobs at the Rolls Royce Advanced Blade Casting Facility at the Advanced Manufacturing Park.

The Government’s extensive business support measures such as job retention CBILs, and Bounce Back loans have helped companies protect work and jobs in the UK. The aerospace industry and its aviation customers are being supported with around £11bn made available through loan guarantees, support for exporters, the Covid Corporate Financing Facility, and grants for research and development.

Rolls-Royce has made clear that the restructuring reflects the change in medium-term market conditions which have been impacted by the global COVID19 pandemic and is about the survival of the company and securing its long-term, sustainable future.

Rolls-Royce has reopened a voluntary severance scheme and has offered impacted staff job opportunities at alternative sites in the area. If necessary, the Government will work with Rolls-Royce to make sure that those who lose their jobs are supported, and to help them get back into alternative employment as quickly as possible, particularly through the services of DWP and Job Centre Plus.