Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the advanced manufacturing sector in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Government is backing advanced manufacturing through our Modern Industrial Strategy and the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which supports innovation, skills, investment and the adoption of new technologies across the UK.

Businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire can access national support on skills, finance, R&D and energy. Regional programmes include Made Smarter West Midlands, which helps manufacturing SMEs adopt digital tools and boost productivity, and the new specialist Advanced Manufacturing Technical Excellence College at Newcastle & Stafford College Group.

We will continue working with local partners to ensure businesses in these areas can access the support they need to invest, innovate and create good jobs.