Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that businesses in Northern Ireland will be eligible for support under the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will only be applicable to businesses within Great Britain. This is due to the energy market being devolved within Northern Ireland, where a Shared Energy Market is operated with the Republic of Ireland.

We will continue to work in partnership with the Government of Northern Ireland to ensure the Industrial Strategy benefits people and businesses in Northern Ireland. This includes working with the Northern Ireland Executive to establish an Enhanced Investment Zone, as well as funding support for growth-driving sectors like advanced manufacturing and defence to further drive growth where Northern Ireland thrives.