Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tristram Hunt and Vince Cable

Thursday 21st March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Chris Williamson (Derby North) (Lab)]

8. What recent assessment he has made of manufacturing activity and future capacity in that sector.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Vince Cable)]

After years of manufacturing being in relative decline we are seeking to bolster manufacturing capacity and drive the transformation to a skilled economy. On Monday we launched an aerospace strategy with £2 billion Government-industry funding for an aerospace technology institute. Rounds 2 and 3 of the advanced manufacturing supply chain initiative opened for applications today.

[Tristram Hunt]

One of the major problems affecting ceramics manufacturing in my constituency is, after yesterday’s Budget, no longer the climate change levy, but is security of supply when it comes to gas. We have dangerously low levels of gas storage capacity in this country, and in recent weeks we have come close to energy cut-outs. Will the right hon. Gentleman meet the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change as a matter of urgency so that we can have proper energy security for our ceramics industry?

[Vince Cable]

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman and his fellow potteries MPs on putting ceramics on the agenda. We recognise that because ceramics institutions are driven by gas rather than electricity it is more difficult to compensate them under the Government’s scheme. He is right to raise the issue of gas storage, which goes back many years. Compared with France we have relatively little strategic storage and I would be happy to talk to the Energy Secretary about that.

Business and the Economy

Debate between Tristram Hunt and Vince Cable

Monday 14th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

That suggestion sounds eminently sensible. I do not know the extent to which it is required to be incorporated in the law, but it seems eminently sensible to pursue it in guidance.

[Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab)]

Further to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman), can the Secretary of State explain why there is no higher education Bill in the Queen’s Speech? If we are interested in innovation, skills and training, and future competitiveness, why on earth is there no such Bill?

[Vince Cable]

There were many candidates for the Queen’s Speech—a lot of productive legislation. The reforms in higher education are being pursued successfully. Many of the alarms sounded about the university reforms have not been realised. We can pursue questions about higher education in Business, Innovation and Skills questions next week. This is not about the higher education Bill.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tristram Hunt and Vince Cable

Thursday 8th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab)]

1. What recent steps his Department has taken to support the manufacturing sector.

[The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Vince Cable)]

The Government are taking action to support and grow modern manufacturing in the UK by encouraging higher levels of innovation exports, business investment and technical skills.

[Tristram Hunt]

In the last few weeks, five ceramic and brick companies have gone bust in the UK, including the Jesse Shirley bone china works in my constituency. The energy-intensive industry measures announced in the autumn statement did little for our pottery industry. Can we now have some movement from the Government on capital allowances for the ceramic sector, which is a vital part of our manufacturing industry?

[Vince Cable]

I will look at the specific issue of the ceramics industry. I know that the hon. Gentleman was involved in promoting an anti-dumping action. We considered the matter carefully, and there were not sufficient grounds to support the rather disproportionate action advocated by the European Commission. Indeed, the Chinese market share has remained pretty unchanged over the past decade. However, we will certainly consider what else can be done to help the industry.

Trade and Investment for Growth White Paper

Debate between Tristram Hunt and Vince Cable

Wednesday 9th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Vince Cable]

I continue to hear strong representations about the value of capital allowances from, among others, the Engineering Employers Federation. That is clearly one of the things that the Chancellor will be mulling over before the Budget.

[Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab)]

In Stoke-on-Trent we welcome the emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises and manufacturing exporters, but as my right hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton South East (Mr McFadden) said, there seems to be a dissonance between the rhetoric and the reality. Business Link has announced that it is no longer funding two enterprise agencies in north Staffordshire, Business Initiative and Stafford Enterprise. The local chamber of commerce is very worried about the effect that that will have on local start-ups and their ability to export. There does not seem to be very much joined-up thinking here.

[Vince Cable]

As many people on this side of the House who have run small businesses will know, the problem with Business Link was that it was a very ineffective system of business support. It has now been replaced, and in future small businesses will have access, through mentoring, to other business people, rather than to those who serviced Business Link, which was not a successful scheme.