Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight, Bob Seely, has welcomed the latest multi-million-pound package of support from Government – designed to protect firms who are driving innovation and development in the UK.
The Chancellor’s new £1.25 billion package includes a £500million investment fund – called the Future Fund – for high-growth companies impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
The Chancellor has also allocated £750million of grants and loans for small and medium-sized businesses focusing on research and development.
Rishi Sunak, said:
“Britain is a global leader when it comes to innovation. Our start-ups and businesses driving research and development are one of our great economic strengths, and will help power our growth out of the coronavirus crisis.”
Bob says the Island has an abundance of companies at the cutting edge of innovation that may be eligible for assistance:
“It is important that we try to keep every sector of our economy going.
“As the Chancellor has said, start-ups and businesses driving research and development are one of our great economic strengths both nationally and on the Island and they will have a major part in helping the economy emerge from the coronavirus crisis.
Article continues below this advertisement “I want to make sure businesses are aware of the support the Government is making available to help them through these difficult times so that we come out of this awful situation as strong as we went in. It will take time to do so, but the support packages we are seeing from the Government are very welcome.
“It is vital that, today, we support the businesses that will drive the economy and provide jobs in the future.
More details on the funding are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-support-package-for-innovative-firms-hit-by-coronavirus.
Bob says he has notified the IW Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses about the new package of support and urged all businesses who think they may be eligible to investigate this support.
Tim Hunter-Henderson, from the IW Federation of Small Businesses, said:
“On the national front the FSB is currently working with the Chancellor, the British Business Bank and Innovate UK to raise awareness of these programmes.
“Locally, there will be some companies that may benefit from these programmes and any assistance from Bob in raising awareness of funding opportunities on the Island is always welcome.
“It is important not only that support is available to local businesses but that the information on that assistance is also widely available”.
Steven Holbrook, from the IW Chamber of Commerce, said:
“The IW Chamber welcomes each and every support given to any and all Island businesses, especially in this critical IT and development segment where the Island has such a vibrant business community.
“There are still many businesses and business owners who have fallen through the cracks though and we will continue to fight for further support for more businesses that are battling so hard to survive in these unique times.”
Still no help for the recently self employed though is there Bob and you never got back to me when you said you would.
The government safety net has some massive holes that if you fall through, you get nothing.
Can’t hear you making any noise about this in parliament.
This isn’t good enough, this is peoples lives you are messing with.
Bob is possible the worst MP the Island has ever had. TimC – Bob doesn’t reply to anyone, his system just sends out a generic email, I tried to contact him and it was useless, I sent 3 emails and the same auto reply was all I got.
Yes Bob is indeed very quiet, he pops up now and again to praise others but never seems to do anything himself.