Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in high-technology manufacturing across the UK.

Our Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan published last June set out how we are supporting UK manufacturers to grow and thrive. Commitments include up to £4.3 billion funding for frontier manufacturing sectors through programmes such as DRIVE35, Aerospace Technology Institute and the Battery Innovation Programme, as well as £4 billion growth capital available from the British Business Bank and £27.8 billion from the National Wealth Fund to help manufacturing business access the finance they need to invest and expand. We have also expanded our Office for Investment, targeting investors in high growth potential sectors including advanced manufacturing.