On 24th February Sajid Javid the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills spoke about the future of British manufacturing at the EEF Annual Conference 2016. Scroll through the images to learn why UK manufacturing is great and how government will support businesses with a broadband review.
What does the future hold for British manufacturing? Can we compete in the face of cheap imports from emerging economies?
"We're British. And that means we make things. We always have. We always will. We invented modern industry, and we’ve played a role in countless technological leaps forward since. We can be proud of our manufacturing heritage. And we should be equally positive about Britain’s manufacturing future."
"Britain's manufacturing base spans almost 90,000 employers and provides work for millions of people. Foreign direct investment is up more than 60 per cent since 2010.
"You represent the most innovative and intensive R&D sector in the UK, accounting for £13 billion of investment each year. And over the past decade manufacturing productivity has increased three times faster than the economy as a whole."
"A new car rolls of a British production line every 20 seconds with 80 per cent destined for export. The world flies in British-built planes and drives British-built cars. And as I never get bored of pointing out, the Australians are throwing British-made boomerangs."
"And over the past decade manufacturing productivity has increased 3 times faster than the economy as a whole, something reflected in today's EEF report."
"So at last year's Spending Review I was proud to secure an investment of almost £7 billion as part of the national science capital commitment. The highest ever. And I also won protection for the annual £4.7 billion government funding for science, research and development."
"We also fund a third of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which has seen £300 million invested in just 5 years. The Catapult helps manufacturers turn innovative research into real-world success."
"Working alongside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, we will look at the broadband speeds that businesses need now and in the future. We will look at the barriers that exist for businesses to get the affordable, high speed broadband they need. And we will look at the whole issue of leased lines and the role they play in the market."
To read the full speech visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/british-manufacturing-supporting-a-world-leader
