Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to take steps to establish a royal commission on Industrial Strategy to determine a cross-party strategy for the manufacturing sector.

We have no plans to establish a Royal Commission on Industrial Strategy. The Government is focused on providing a competitive business environment to stimulate manufacturing growth.

Delivering economic growth in key sectors remains a priority. The Chancellor has identified five key growth sectors for the UK, including Advanced Manufacturing. The Government has announced a £500 million per year package of support for 20,000 research and development (R&D) intensive businesses through changes to R&D tax credits, alongside 12 new investment zones. Earlier this month, The Department for Business and Trade announced regulatory measures that will reduce burdensome red tape and tailor rules to suit the UK economy, potentially saving employers around £1 billion yearly.