The All-Party Parliamentary Manufacturing Group and Policy Connect were delighted to welcome The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to the launch of their new report on the future of the UK’s manufacturing sector Manufacturing Resilience, Driving Recovery towards Net Zero earlier this week. 

We were very pleased to hear from the Secretary of State that the decarbonisation agenda will be at the heart of the Green Investment Bank. This aligns closely with the report's recommendation that priority should be given to financing for initiatives and funding for new technology that will help promote decarbonisation.

The Secretary of State also emphasised the important role of Made Smarter, fitting with the report's key recommendation, that government should turn Made Smarter into a national service to drive the recovery of UK manufacturing toward net zero. 

Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, inquiry chair:

"This inquiry by the Manufacturing Commission comes at a critical time for the UK’s manufacturing sector.  Prioritising resilience as part of the sector’s recovery from the pandemic will not only help businesses to build back better, but will ensure that they are prepared for future disruption. Taking action such as improving energy and resource efficiency, embracing digitalisation, and closing long-standing skills gaps will also help the manufacturing sector deliver on the Government’s important net zero target. The Manufacturing Commission has put forward a set of practical recommendations to ensure that UK manufacturing can be competitive, productive, and sustainable as it recovers from the impacts of Covid-19."

Rob Allen, Policy Connect, report author: 

"Covid-19 has disrupted almost every aspect of the manufacturing sector, from procurement and staffing, to supply chains and fulfilment.  However, as part of this inquiry, we have been inspired by evidence from businesses up and down the country, who have risen to these challenges. By taking action now to improve resilience, we can ensure that the UK’s manufacturing sector can stand ready to weather future disruption, help to combat the climate crisis, and continue to provide the country with the things that it needs."