Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the S&P Global UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index survey published on 1 May, which showed contraction in the manufacturing sector in April, what support they are providing to this sector to boost growth.

The UK’s manufacturing sector is showing resilience, despite challenges such as supply chain disruptions in the Red Sea.

According to the OECD, since 2010 the UK has had the fastest manufacturing productivity growth in the G7. Make UK’s Q1 Manufacturing Outlook Report, published at the end of March, showed increased investment and recruitment intentions among manufacturers.

The Government has a strong track record of backing the sector. Our Advanced Manufacturing Plan published last November is underpinned by tax cuts, faster grid connections and a £4.5bn commitment to 2030, as well as the expansion of our successful SME Made Smarter Adoption programme.