Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will convene a ceramics taskforce, chaired by a Minister.

The Department for Business and Trade works closely with the ceramics sector through Ceramics UK and directly with businesses to understand its challenges and provide support to help its global competitiveness. If we take a view that a ceramics taskforce is required, we will convene it.

Our engagement includes the Energy Intensive Users Group which includes representation from the ceramics sector. I recently held a roundtable with members of EIUG and met with a ceramics sector delegation today.