This week not only saw the MTA’s new President, Mark Ridgway, take office but the Association host its Parliamentary Reception with guest speaker the Rt Hon Michael Fallon Minister of State for Business & Enterprise. The focus of these and other stories this week is very much on opportunities for UK manufacturing exporters.
Mr Ridgway, addressing the Parliamentary Reception, spoke of developments in internationalisation and emphasised that the MTA has a strong track record of promoting overseas trade amongst its members. Commenting on the Government’s Autumn Statement, delivered earlier in the afternoon, Mr Ridgway welcomed the ten-fold increase in Capital Allowances. He stressed that manufacturing needs policies from Government that recognise the high levels of capital investment required in our sector, and also the fact that for the most part these far exceed those required in other sectors of the UK economy.
The Rt Hon Michael Fallon the Minister for Business & Enterprise thanked members for sharing the MTA paper on Advanced Manufacturing with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills earlier this year. The Minister emphasised the importance of the MTA continuing to talk to the Government about what needs to be done to encourage growth. The Minister pointed out that the MTA membership spans a wide range of vital advanced manufacturing supply chains, and so its views are important for informing the debate on current and future policy. He assured members that the Government has never been clearer in its commitment to manufacturing which it sees as an essential building block of a more resilient, innovative economy.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Trade & Investment met this week to discuss ‘Export Finance – support for exporters and a strategy for growth’. The APPG was briefed by the Government’s UK Export Finance agency on services on offer to exporters and of the new UK regional export advisers.
There is news of the half day seminar on Wednesday 30th January 2013 that the MTA is co-hosting with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre at its Sheffield base – so save the date. We also include the MTA’s November Report on market prospects in China.
Have a good weekend.