Response to Sirius petition

The Government has issued a response to a petition calling for a loan guarantee for Sirius Minerals.

The online petition, which was started after the future of the company’s polyhalite project was thrown into doubt, has been signed by more than 11,000 people.

A spokesperson from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “The Government’s interactions with Sirius Minerals are commercially confidential and it is therefore not possible to comment further on the particulars of dealings between Government and Sirius Minerals.

“However, we wish to assure all interested parties that all requests for Government financial support are assessed in great detail and must meet necessary assistance criteria.

When examining any request for financing, the Government has to assess the potential benefits of a project against the need to protect taxpayers’ money.”

Sirius Minerals is currently undergoing a six-month strategic review to find alternative ways to fund its project before cash resources run out in March 2020. A number of workers have had to be let go in a bid to reduce costs.