The GPMA has had an official reply from Government to the letter it sent last month to Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, calling for a means-tested disaster relief grant fund for the UK print industry.
The following is an extract from the Government’s response: "Thank you for your letter of 24 September, to the Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, and the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, about the impact that the restrictions currently in place across the UK are having on the graphics and print media sector.
“The Government fully recognises the importance of the graphics and print media sector to the UK economy, and to the consumers who rely on printed materials for information and communication.
“BEIS is grateful to the sector for your continued engagement with officials throughout this crisis, which we will continue going forwards.
“As you are aware, recent events in the UK and worldwide have demonstrated that Coronavirus continues to pose a very real threat to people’s health and livelihoods.
“The Government is therefore focused on measures to combat the virus in the places where it is most prevalent, whilst also doing everything possible to keep our economy moving forwards with people working in a Covid-19 Secure way.
“We would like to further assure you that your proposal that a mean-tested ‘disaster relief’ style grant should be made available to the printing industry has been noted, and will be borne in mind as the policy response to the pandemic evolves."