The Prime Minister opened Cabinet
with an update on yesterday’s SME Business Connect conference
which championed the dynamism of UK businesses. The Government
announced a package of measures to further support SMEs,
including new investment to fully fund SME apprenticeship
training costs for young people, and ensuring large companies can
spend more of their apprenticeships budget on SMEs in their
supply chain.
The Business Secretary said that most people in the UK work for
an SME, and so it was right that the Government was continuing to
back SMEs by enabling up to 20,000 more apprenticeships, in
addition to the Spring Budget announcement to increase the VAT
threshold to £90,000 from 1st April, and protecting
over one million small businesses from a business rates increase
for the fourth consecutive year.
The Culture Secretary then gave
an update on the historic Football Governance Bill being
introduced to Parliament today. She outlined that it would
introduce a new Independent Football Regulator focused on
ensuring clubs are financially resilient, protecting fans
from seeing long loved clubs
from going into administration, while continuing to ensure the
world class competitiveness of the Premier League.
Cabinet then discussed the
importance of ensuring the Government is delivering for people,
businesses and communities across the whole of the UK.
The Prime Minister spoke about the strength of the union and
welcomed the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive. He
said the Government was investing in every part of the UK, and
ensuring devolved administrations are accountable for the
delivery of public services and their tax and spending
decisions.
The Scotland Secretary outlined
the ongoing work to continue to deliver for people across the UK,
including through the delivery of structural funds via the UK
Internal Market Act, with £3bn of UK Government funding in
Scotland including Freeports and Investment Zones.
The Northern Ireland Secretary spoke about the restoration of the
Executive, and the focus now being squarely on delivering for the
people of Northern Ireland including the £3.3bn financial package
to transform local public services.
The Wales Secretary outlined
several projects the UK Government is supporting in Wales
including five Towns Fund projects, four Growth Deals, three
Levelling Up Fund bids, two Freeports and the nuclear site
announced in the Budget.
ENDS
