Member Article

National Manufacturing Strategy vital for growth

The Government should consider implementing a National Manufacturing Strategy to create the
conditions for an industrial renaissance in the sector.

This was the call in a letter to the Business Secretary from Chris Coopey, partner and practice director at Carpenter Box LLP chartered accountants, auditors and tax advisers and head of the Manufacturing Group of national accounting association MHA.

Mr Coopey believes that by implementing a national strategy, the Government will be better equipped to rebalance the UK economy by providing the manufacturing sector with a firm platform from which to build.

In a recent survey compiled by MHA, 90% of UK manufacturers do not believe that the Government has a specific manufacturing strategy in place. Despite this however, two thirds of businesses anticipate that they will see some growth in 2012.

“If manufacturing is to reach its full potential in the UK it seems clear that we will need a National Manufacturing Strategy.” He said.

“Only with such a strategy are we likely to achieve the rebalancing of the economy to which the Government seems committed.

“We urge the Government to consider starting work on formulating a national strategy and in the shorter term working to increase awareness of the support already available to the sector.”

He is also concerned about the Government’s decision to strip the Engineering diploma of its GCSE equivalency - a move which he believes could have a detrimental effect on recruiting the next generation of engineers.

Mr Coopey continued:“Gove’s decision to strip the Engineering Diploma of its value will undoubtedly damage the prospect of attracting pupils towards engineering and manufacturing.

“The Diploma, originally introduced in 2008 used to be the equivalent of 5 GCSEs. With Mr Gove’s intervention it is now equivalent to 1.

“I recently asked Vince Cable whether he had been consulted. He replied that ‘he was now in conversation with Mr Gove’.

“Mr Cable and the coalition Government need to take action and I have offered the opportunity for him to meet with a round table of manufacturing businesses to discuss what is needed.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .