James Gray has welcomed the announcement that four businesses in North Wiltshire, Chipside Ltd, Qualaseot Pharmaxo Holdings, Clarendon Specialty Fasteners Ltd, and Alvan Branch Development Company Ltd, have received awards for both ‘Innovation’ and ‘Internatonal Trade.’ They were part of more than 200 businesses having been honoured with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

Three quarters of this year’s winners are small and medium sized businesses, demonstrating that the UK is one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business. This is down to the environment created by the Conservative Government and the support they have given, which includes:

• Investing £7 billion through our modern Industrial Strategy in new public funding for research and innovation – the largest ever increase.
• Helping small businesses access the finance they need – since it was established, the British Business Bank has provided support worth £5.9 billion of finance to over 82,000 smaller businesses across the country.
• Providing small businesses with £200 million to grow and scale-up their operations.
• Providing a £31 million package of support for small businesses helping them to grow and reach their full potential.
• Legislating to make it easier for small businesses to access invoice finance, providing a £1 billion long-term boost to the economy.
• Cutting business rates for small retailers by a third for two years – saving 90 per cent of all shops, pubs and restaurants up to £8,000.

The winners will receive these prestigious awards at a Buckingham Palace reception, where their contribution to the UK economy will be celebrated. These awards recognise businesses for their contribution in four categories, with winners including:

• 129 International Trade winners
• 61 Innovation winners
• 6 Sustainable Development winners
• 5 Promoting Opportunity winners

Commenting on the awards, Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

“We know that the UK is the best place to start and grow a business, which we will build on through our modern Industrial Strategy. These awards recognise great British success stories that are the face of this achievement, and I’m proud that so many small businesses are being celebrated by receiving a Queen’s Award for Enterprise.”

James Gray MP further praised the winners, stating that: 

“I am delighted that these businesses have been recognised by Her Majesty The Queen with such a prestigious award. They all make a huge contribution, not just to North Wiltshire, but also to our growing economy. These businesses were selected for their entrepreneurship and I am delighted that they have been recognised for their hard work.”