Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the analysis by the Office for National Statistics, Manufacturing Sector Performance, UK: 2008–2018, published on 2 April, that there may be a decline in growth in the UK manufacturing sector as a result of post-Brexit tariffs.

The report Manufacturing Sector Performance, UK: 2008–2018, published by the Office for National Statistics on the 2nd April, details how the manufacturing sector has grown since the recession, and does not cover potential tariffs, or the UK exiting the European Union.

Both the UK and the EU share a strong commercial interest in preserving integrated supply chains.

The government recognises that the manufacturing sector remains a vital contributor to the economy of the UK, driving innovation, exports, job creation, and productivity growth. The sector supports 2.7 million jobs, generates 49% of the UK total exports of goods and services, and accounts for 66% of all business expenditure on UK R&D. Through our modern Industrial Strategy and Made Smarter – our key national industrial digitalisation programme – we are building an economy fit for the future. In the process, we are exploiting the wealth of opportunities from next generation technologies that foster competitive business environments, allowing for UK manufacturing to flourish. As the 9th largest global manufacturing economy, we are – and will continue to be – a major manufacturing nation.