MPs bid to boost manufacturing

A CROSS-PARTY group of MPs have drawn up a pre-election manifesto with 19 recommendations to boost the manufacturing sector.

The report by the All-Party Parliamentary Manufacturing Group (APMG), which is co-chaired by Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, will be launched and will call on any future government to take what it calls “the necessary steps” to ensure the UK becomes a global leader in manufacturing markets.

It identifies six key areas – innovation, skills, finance and taxation, energy, SMEs and trade and investment – and details recommendations within each that it believes will boost the perception and performance of the sector.

Jonathan Reynolds MP, APMG Vice-Chair and Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change, added: “It is a common misconception that the UK is no longer a manufacturing nation. The reality is that manufacturing is a major part of the UK economy, generating good jobs and valuable exports.

“This manifesto sets out how UK manufacturing can grow even stronger, something which I hope will become an issue of political consensus in the UK, so that industry can plan for the long-term and we can all secure the benefits of this vital sector.”

The recommendations within the Manufacturing Manifesto 2015 include encouraging private R&D by establishing R&D tax credits and the Patent Box as permanent institutions, streamlining the process of applying for government support schemes and addressing the negative perception of manufacturing by encouraging and facilitating engagement between schools and manufacturers.

Chris White MP, co-chairman of the 30-strong APMG, added: “This manifesto highlights the crucial issues that need to be addressed in the coming years if the UK is to sustain its increasingly robust manufacturing sector, which is an essential part of any well-balanced economy.

“We will continue to work with industry in this regard, to campaign on these issues, ensure that any future government is made fully aware going forward of the importance to the nation of a strong manufacturing sector, and encourage it to take the necessary steps to secure the UK’s place as a global leader in manufacturing markets.”