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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will invite the ceramics sector to be part of one of the five Industrial Strategy Taskforces.

The ceramics sector is a valued part of the UK economy. The recovery roundtables that my Hon friend refers to are intensive engagements and it is important they are focused. Inevitably, there is a limit on the number of organisations that can join. Attendees do not encompass the full range of stakeholders that the Department engages with, and we welcome written comments from anyone that wishes to share their views.

We also continue to hold extensive engagement that will feed into this important work with stakeholders from across the economy, outside of the recovery roundtbales. I would value the views of the ceramics sector as part of this process.