Jack Brereton, MP for Stoke-on-Trent South, has met the Prime Minister to make a personal call for more financial support and tax reductions for ceramics firms to help them invest in reducing energy costs and decarbonise the industry.
During last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Jack Brereton MP raised concerns that the ceramics sector is a heavily energy intensive industry and almost entirely made up of small and medium sized businesses and as a result have not always received the same level of government support as other energy intensive sectors. Ceramics firms have already invested more than £600 million in improving efficiency, increasing productivity, and reducing emissions, but to go further they will need further support from Government. Jack Brereton MP raised the need for more financial assistance from the Government to improve energy efficiency and help them to invest further in transitioning to more efficient and cleaner technologies to ensure they remain competitive with ceramics companies in other countries.
In response, the Prime Minister said:
“My hon. Friend (Jack Brereton MP) is a powerful advocate for his ceramics industry, and rightly so. It has been a pleasure to meet him and his businesses in the past. He will know that our energy bills discount scheme will support businesses with their energy bills through to March next year, and we have a range of other funds to support energy-intensive industries. There is the scheme that he mentioned, and also the industrial energy transformation fund, which provides capital grants to businesses such as his to help them decarbonise. I look forward to discussing this with him and his businesses in the near future.
Following his interaction with the Prime Minister, Jack Brereton MP was successful in holding a personal one-to-one meeting with the Prime Minister. During their meeting Jack raised the need for further support to help ceramics companies reduce energy costs and more tax-free allowances to help manufacturers invest in more efficient technology. Jack also raised the need to ensure there is a proper boarder adjustment mechanism in place to prevent those foreign companies with far lower environmental standards undercutting our more responsible UK industries. Jack also called for the decoupling of electricity prices from the cost of gas, which has resulted in electricity prices be artificially inflated and deterred manufactures from moving to cleaner electrically powered technology.
Following the meeting, Jack Brereton MP said:
“I am very grateful for the Prime Minister for sticking to his word and meeting me in person. We need to ensure that we are providing proper financial support and increased tax-free allowances to support our energy intensive industries, like ceramics to invest further in cities like Stoke-on-Trent, supporting skilled local jobs.
The Prime Minister was sympathetic to my concerns and concerns I raised on behalf of local businesses. He has visited Stoke-on-Trent on numerous occasions and understands our city and the importance of ceramics industry. I will continue to work closely with my colleagues in Westminster, including the Chancellor, and Prime Minister, to explore ways we can further support manufactures and important skilled jobs in our area.”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer will be outlining his Spring Budget to the House of Commons on the 15th March 2023. Jack Brereton MP has confirmed that he will be attending the Spring Budget announcement and contributing to the budget debate.
