New Business Secretary’s call to keep UK Manufacturing moving

On 4 January 2021, the UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, announced new national lockdown restrictions across England (which the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland supported) to help all four nations control the spread of a new variant of Covid-19.

Four days later, it was announced that Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP would succeed Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP as the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

On 11 January 2021, the new Business Secretary – previously the Minister of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, wrote to UK manufacturers to offer assurance and to re-emphasise the UK Government’s position that firms and tradespeople in manufacturing; including supply chains, should continue to operate during the lockdown.

He also labelled the point that, where it is essential to travel or to stay in accommodation; whether to get to your work or for the purposes of carrying out your work, those in the industry are able to do so.

“It is vital that manufacturing continues, and I want to reassure you that the Government values the contribution your sector is making,” said Kwarteng – the Rt Hon Conservative MP for Spelthorne (Surrey).

“Your work in areas such as aerospace, chemicals, automotive, rail, metals and steel, defence, shipbuilding and repair, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and many other manufacturing sectors as well that deliver vital services, products or materials, are critical elements of the economic recovery we are building and the fight against Covid-19.”

To help ensure that it is safe for you to operate whilst carrying out your work, the Government and devolved administrations are continuing to update their safer working guidance, which can be found on GOV.UK.

To read the full letter, please click below.

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