I am delighted to have been asked by the Prime Minister to become the new Minister for Small Business at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
This is a great honour having been a small business owner for several years before becoming the MP for Rochester and Strood, so I also see this as a perfect fit for my experience, knowledge and interest.
I also believe this will be greatly beneficial for Rochester and Strood whose high streets and business parks are mostly made up of small businesses. I have had the pleasure to meet a large number of these businesses, learning their hopes and concerns.
I hope that I can bring much of this to my new role and ensure we as a government promote the best policies to boost business opportunities and support, particularly as we near our departure for the European Union.
This is an exciting time to be a part of the government’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy team as we push forward our agenda to improve support, productivity and economic growth across all sectors. Out of this I aim to deliver the best for our small businesses both locally and up and down the country.