Rosa Wilkinson, Director of Policy at the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and a Member of the MTA Board, notes that there are reports that Liz Truss will hold a ‘mini budget’ (a small fiscal event) sometime next week when Parliament is expected to return after the Queen’s funeral and before the party conference break. The most likely date would be Thursday 22 September, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
This “fiscal event” would probably see the new Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng set out the Government’s economic vision, and outline details of the emergency energy support and tax cuts announced last week. In comments reported in the press, he has said that his principal goal as Chancellor will be to deliver growth and has set the ambition to push UK growth towards the 2.5% level.
We understand from contacts in BEIS that, other than Graham Stuart as Climate Minister, Ministerial briefs within the Departments have not yet been assigned. We do not know what briefs Jackie Doyle Price and Nusrat Ghani will take on. There is no news on the appointment of a Science Minister nor an Industry Minister and the expectation is that there will be no further appointment announcements until after the mourning period.
Following the death of Her Majesty The Queen, previously planned parliamentary business has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date. All Select Committee proceedings are now suspended until two days after the State Funeral. This includes planned evidence sessions, committee visits and any publication of material. Information on rescheduling of elections for the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology Committees will be provided in due course.