In today’s Downing Street COVID-19 press conference, Michael Gove praised the dedication of the country’s manufacturing industry in innovating new processes and concepts to increase the number of ventilators available to the NHS.
He said existing medical suppliers were scaling up production, while a number of major UK engineering companies were researching and developing new models, including McLaren, Airbus, GKN Aerospace, Ford, Rolls Royce and Dyson.
He told the Downing Street press conference that the UK had suffered from a lack of domestic manufacturing capacity for mechanical ventilators – vital for treating the poorliest coronavirus patients – before the pandemic.
But he says production has been ramped up hugely in response to an appeal from government, distributed via Local Enterprise Partnerships among others, which has resulted in thousands of new ventilators “rolling off the production line” this weekend, and due to be “rapidly distributed” to the NHS front line early next week.
Earlier in the day Alok Sharma, secretary of state for business, energy & industrial strategy, confirmed people working in construction can continue to do so in an open letter to the sector.
Mr Sharma paid tribute to those working in the sector, thanking those in it for the “hugely valued and critical contribution” to the resilience of the country and everything they were doing to support the joint national effort.
He wrote: “The Government has advised that wherever possible, people should work at home. However, we know that for many people working in construction their job requires them to travel to their place of work, and they can continue to do so. This is consistent with the Chief Medical Officer’s advice.”
To ensure workers were safe in their workplace, the industry has developed Site Operating Procedures, which were published by the Construction Leadership Council. Mr Sharma said the procedures align with the latest guidance from Public Health England and would continue to be updated as health guidance changes. The letter can be read here.
Additional new guidance
Destroying spoilt beer during coronavirus (COVID-19)
HMRC has introduced a temporary measure to help brewers and publicans in the destruction of spoilt beer during the coronavirus outbreak. Click here for more information.
MHRA guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance has been produced for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry covering the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including information on:
- Supporting and authorising the development of vaccines
- Clinical trials of new medicines
- Managing the supply of medicines and healthcare products
- British Pharmacopoeia products and services during the COVID-19 outbreak,
- new guidance on medical devices clinical investigations, and
- new guidance for Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) facilities.
MHRA also provide information to patients, manufacturers and healthcare professionals through their established information channels and alert systems. Click here for more information.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on business support grant funding
Guidance for English local authorities sets out details of the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF). This includes updates on State Aid, monitoring and reporting requirements, new annexes on state aid, Spotlight, post payment checks, and clarification of eligibility of charities. The guidance applies to England only. Click here to find out more.
Business support packages: latest updates
The government has announced temporary changes to Right to Work (RTW) checks during the coronavirus outbreak. Since 30 March 2020, Right to Work checks have been temporarily adjusted to make it easier for employers to carry them out during the coronavirus outbreak. Until further notice, employers do not need to see original documents and can complete Right to Work checks over video calls.
Prospective workers are now able to submit scanned documents, rather than originals, to show they have the right to work. Checks continue to be necessary and it is an offence to knowingly employ or let property to anyone who does not have legal immigration status in the UK.
If prospective or existing employees cannot provide any of the accepted documents, employers should use the Employer Checking Service – click here to view. Once the temporary changes end, employers will be asked to carry out prescribed checks on existing employees who started work during the pandemic.
- Extra protection for businesses with ban on evictions for commercial tenants who miss rent payments – click here
- Financial assistance for employers unable to pay statutory redundancy payments – click here
- The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – click here.
- Deferring VAT and Income Tax payments – click here.
- Statutory Sick Pay relief package for SMEs – click here
- 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery businesses in England – click here
- Small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief – click here
- Grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000 – click here
- The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5million for SMEs through the British Business Bank – click here. OPEN
- A new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans – click here. OPEN
- The HMRC Time To Pay Scheme – click here
The government has set up a business support helpline, which is open Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm. More information can be found here. The latest UK Government advice can be found here.
There is a dedicated Government Business Support site here.
Government COVID-19 FAQs
Frequently asked questions for businesses and employers, on business closures and stay at home, and on the self-employment income support scheme, are available on the business support website. Click here.