Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has a specific budget to support a) small and b) medium-sized businesses in developing business continuity plans for major disruption.

While the government does not have a dedicated budget to support SMEs to develop business continuity plans, we have set out a comprehensive package of support in our Plan for Small Businesses that will enable SMEs to grow and thrive, including when faced with disruption.

This includes a new Business Growth Service to simplify finding advice and support for SMEs, extending the Help to Grow: Management Programme to help upskill SME leaders, and introducing significant legislation on late payments to ensure SMEs can effectively manage their cash flow. The government’s Cyber Essentials also helps SMEs protect themselves against digital threats.