Readout of the PM’s call with the UK’s leading manufacturing
businesses and organisations.
A Downing Street spokesperson said:
“This evening, the Prime Minister spoke to over sixty of the UK’s
leading manufacturing businesses and organisations to call on
them to help the UK step up production of vital medical
equipment, such as ventilators. The Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster also joined the call.
“The Prime Minister made clear that responding to coronavirus and
reducing the spread of the peak requires a national effort. He
asked manufacturers to rise to this immediate challenge by
offering skills and expertise as well as manufacturing the
components themselves. Businesses can get involved in any part of
the process: design, procurement, assembly, testing, and
shipping.
“He set the ambition for industry to manufacture as many new
ventilators as possible, so we can all help the most vulnerable
and our NHS, whose staff have been working round the clock. The
Government Chief Commercial Officer and Commercial Director from
the NHS set out the clinical and design specifications. The
Government will remain in contact with businesses on anything
further that the NHS might need to respond to the virus.
“The Prime Minister thanked manufacturers for everything they
have done so far. A number of companies are already engaged in
the effort and exploring how they can best support. Any business
who is able to help should get in touch, by phoning the BEIS
Business Support Helpline on 0300 456 3565 or
visiting
https://ventilator.herokuapp.com.
“The Business Support Helpline has already received over 400
calls from businesses looking for information on how they can
contribute to the Prime Minister’s call for ventilator
production.
“The Prime Minister also set out that the Government will do
everything we can to support businesses during this difficult
time.”
