Speeches by Kyle.

“I have seen the work that the chambers have done abroad. I have obviously been doing a lot of travel, including, when I was in DSIT, on the west coast of America and also in Singapore, where I saw their work. DBT’s work there is outstanding, as is the work of the local chambers. As I said, I am very pragmatic about the…”

“It is a risk, but it is a risk that I am aware of and that I will not allow to happen in practice. We are looking very closely at where we focus more resource. In certain parts of the world, we are increasing our footprint when it comes to trade, because they are priorities for us and we see the opportunity for exploit…”

“I would not say that the challenge is that not enough investigations are happening. The challenge is whether they are the right investigations to be undertaken.”

“Look at what we have done with the CMA. We acted quite stridently quite early on to change the culture in the CMA and to set the expectation that investigations be sped up and the overall growth of our economy be taken as a priority. However, if you listen and engage, as I do and did in this role and my previous one at…”

“They are big numbers. DBT cannot stand aside when the Government are making sure that efficiencies are brought in right across the piece. We have priorities as a Government, and the question earlier about whether we are aligning to the industrial strategy across the Government also applies to us as a Department.”

“We have to have more focus. I do not buy into the idea that numbers always equate directly to outcomes.”

“Go ahead!”

“We have already announced measures that will tackle some of those industries. We have a specific set of packages for steel. Ceramics generally use gas, not electricity, but we are also engaging very fulsomely with that sector. It is a sector I care about deeply and I know how important it is to the Stoke area and the b…”

“I would love to have a whole session on this. I know that the Chair wants to move on, but I would love to come back and have a conversation about this specific issue, because there are lots of structural things we can do. We have lots of funds and we have lots of targeted support. Schools are doing more work on this th…”

“We are not a delivery partner in the skills White Paper, but our voice was heard very loud and clear throughout the development of it. As I said, our job at moments like this in Government is to make sure that the needs of business are heard loud and clear. With the creation of Skills England and the way that other par…”

“I am doing everything I can, and this Government is, to make sure that your high hopes become a reality.”

“We are going to announce that as soon as we can; I would love to give you the precise dates. We have also made strident announcements in recent weeks. In just the week before last, I announced an upgrade—if you will—to the supercharger programme. That is reducing the costs of energy connection through the system from 6…”

“I would be foolish to use any word like that, when you look at the instability and the challenges that we have in all of these relationships at the moment. All I can say is that we are engaged fulsomely, and our views are heard loudly and clearly. Not only are we looking at the issues in singular terms, but we are simu…”

“We strengthened our current steel safeguards earlier this year, so we have not been resting on our laurels over it, and of course we have launched a call for evidence on steel trade measures. I am looking very carefully at that. I have spoken to Maroš Šefčovič about it directly. Nick Thomas-Symonds, who leads on the EU…”

“You would not expect me to give the specifics of my conversations with the Chancellor. As I said, I am determined that growth be the basis of every conversation that I have with the Chancellor. I see huge potential, currently untapped, for growth on high streets and in hospitality.”

“I am certainly aiming for that.”

“Oh, soon. That expression that you used—”

“We do not need to lobby the Chancellor on that because one of our manifesto commitments is to reform rates for high street shops. That is something that we will deliver, but everything comes back to growth, because our ability to grow the economy and get some increased revenue into our economy from growth is going to u…”

“We are looking intensively at this at the moment, and we have been for some time. We are working flat out on the steel strategy. Chris McDonald is doing a great job on it. The steel sector has a true advocate with real, deep experience on its side in Government. I am blessed with an extraordinarily talented ministerial…”

“Of course. I will be open to any representations that you make, personally as an MP or as a Committee.”