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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking through the Modern Industrial Strategy to protect regional manufacturing networks from market concentration pressures.

Government recognises that strong regional manufacturing networks are critical to growth and resilience, with 85% of direct Advanced Manufacturing jobs located outside London and the South East. As set out in our Modern Industrial Strategy and Sector Plans, we are supporting manufacturing clusters across the UK through Investment Zones, strengthening and transforming local supply chains, backing innovation and technology adoption among SMEs, and working with city regions to build connected industrial ecosystems. These measures will help ensure firms of all sizes can invest, grow and compete, supporting diverse and resilient regional manufacturing networks.