Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Caravan Industry: Hull and East Riding

15 June 2020 · 3 other contributors

Opened by Emma Hardy Lab Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice

Business & Trade

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Emma Hardy raised concerns about caravan industry: hull and east riding in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Caravan manufacturing is a significant industry in Hull, the capital of caravan manufacturing in the UK.
  • The industry faces challenges due to the 2008 financial crash and recent pandemic restrictions.
  • The Minister acknowledged the industry's resilience and highlighted government support through various schemes but did not commit to specific new interventions beyond existing measures.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Emma Hardy Lab Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice

As many Members will know, Hull is the capital of caravan manufacturing in the UK. The industry has faced significant challenges due to the global financial crash in 2008 and more recently with the current pandemic restrictions. My speech outlined that while businesses have benefited from economic support measures such as the job retention scheme, the unique nature of the caravan industry’s dependency on leisure tourism means these are insufficient. I called for specific government interventions including eligibility for business rates relief and a flexible extension to the furlough scheme until spring 2021 to protect jobs and ensure the industry can bounce back in time for next year's selling season.

Other contributors (3)
  • Peter Aldous Con North Waveney

    Asked if consideration should be given to the whole caravan industry supply chain.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Asked about reopening of caravan parks in Northern Ireland and its potential for England.

  • Karl Turner Lab Kingston upon Hull East

    Reiterated the importance of jobs in the caravan industry, asked for support to extend furlough scheme and business rate relief grants.

Government Response

Nadhim Zahawi

The Minister congratulated Emma Hardy and Karl Turner on their speeches. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the caravan industry due to the pandemic but highlighted past resilience after the financial crisis in 2008. The Government provided support through schemes such as the job retention scheme, business interruption loans, and bounce-back loans. The furlough scheme is set to end in October with flexibility introduced from August onwards. He committed to meeting with the National Caravan Council to discuss specific asks and reiterated that caravan parks could reopen once safe to do so based on scientific evidence.

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