Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of forecast reductions in manufacturing employment in 2026 and 2027 on economic growth.

Data from the Office for National Statistics show that manufacturing jobs have declined by around 6.1% since the most recent peak in Q4 2022, while over the same period manufacturing output (measured by gross value added) has increased by 4.5% in real terms. According to the latest comparison of independent forecasts collated and published by HM Treasury in September 2026, manufacturing output remains forecast to see growth in 2026 (median projected growth 0.7%) and, with projections improving in recent months, in 2027 (median projected growth 1.2%).