Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to increase manufacturing jobs in the UK.

The Government is committed to making the UK the best location in the world for manufacturing and recognising the vital role it plays in the UK economy, including job creation.

Advanced manufacturing has been identified by my Rt Hon. Friend the Chancellor as one of five key sectors that will be the engine to drive future growth in the UK and we are enhancing our manufacturing base through programmes in strategically important sub-sectors such as aerospace, automotive and life sciences and have committed nearly £650 million to fund the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres.