Government Minster, Liz Truss, has promised to look into the case of an Isle of Wight engineering and composite business seeking support with export finance.
An Island company recently won a contract to sell to Taiwan. However, as explained by Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely, the company has had trouble sourcing export and banking finance.
Question in the Commons
He raised a question during the Commons debate this week,
“Graham Harvey is a constituent of mine who runs an excellent little composites business on the Isle of Wight. He has just won a big order to sell to Taiwan.
“That is exactly the sort of business that I know the Secretary of State will want to cheer on, but he is finding it extremely difficult to get export finance and banking finance.
“I have written to the Secretary of State. Does she share my concern that our small and medium-sized businesses are not being given the support that they need to export successfully?”
Truss: “Would be very happy to look at the case”
Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, Minister for Women and Equalities, said,
“I am very proud of the work that UK Export Finance does. It has just celebrated its 100th birthday of supplying export finance for British business.
“I am very keen, and I have laid this out to the team, that we do more to support small and medium-sized enterprises.
“I would be very happy to look at the case for my hon. Friend’s constituent, and make sure that he is getting the support that he needs.
“We do have additional available finance, and there is also an exporting toolkit for MPs to help them get in touch with export finance.”
