To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) what support is available for small manufacturers to adapt to the COVID-19 Pandemic; and (ii) whether she is planning to bring forward further support.

The Northern Ireland Executive and UK Government have responded to COVID-19 with an unprecedented range of financial support for businesses, individuals and families since March 2020. The Department for the Economy (DfE) has made payments totalling over £400million to more than 30,000 businesses via a number of schemes, and continues to pay millions of pounds to thousands more, including those in the manufacturing sector.

The combination of this financial help and support has been designed to mitigate against the worst impacts of the pandemic, to prevent businesses from closing and protect people’s main jobs and livelihoods.

The Finance Minister has recently announced a four month rates holiday for businesses across all sectors until July 2021, and a further £178 million in new business support grants. The manufacturing sector has been identified as one of the key sectors which will benefit most from these new grant payments, subject to eligibility.

Moving forward, my focus will be on the re-opening the economy, as I believe that the best way to support all of our local businesses, employers and high streets, is to make a full and safe return to trading as soon as possible in line with the health regulations and the published roadmap ‘Moving Forward: The Executive's Pathway Out of Restrictions’.

Finally, it will be for the Executive collectively to determine how any new or additional Covid-related funding will be allocated as we move out of restrictions and to support a sustained and successful economic recovery moving forward.