Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to (a) support and (b) increase the number of high wage jobs in British industry.

The Government aims to support a high-skilled, high productivity, high wage economy that delivers on our ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to work and grow a business.

There are high paying jobs across all sectors and regions of the UK economy, including 600,000 high wage manufacturing jobs. Whilst businesses ultimately drive job growth, it is for the Government to create the right environment for job creation, and since 2010 there are an additional 3.6 million more people in work with the majority in high-skilled occupations.

The Government remains committed to the target of UK economy-wide R&D investment reaching 2.4% of GDP by 2027. This investment will continue to support a high innovation economy and deliver high wage jobs over the long term.