Government launches 40 year look at manufacturing

The two-year project will call on industry and academic expertise from the UK and abroad to look at the long-term picture for the manufacturing sector, investigating global trends and drivers of change. It will explore how the UK can maximise these opportunities and provide an evidence base to help policy-makers navigate a challenging and uncertain future. To be known as Foresight, the project's investigating team in the government office for science will be directed by the government's chief scientific adviser, professor Sir John Beddington (pictured), and is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Speaking at the Financial Times Future of UK Manufacturing Conference, Vince Cable said: "Manufacturing has a key role to play in economic growth, in particular driving exports and productivity. But as industries and technologies evolve, we need to make sure we're staying ahead of the game. The government is working with business to support and strengthen the UK's manufacturing capability, through action to drive up investment, innovation, exports and skills. "I look forward to this report from the respected Foresight team. It will make a powerful contribution to our work supporting British industry and to making sure that we retain our position as a world-class manufacturing nation at the cutting edge of new products and processes." Sir John Beddington said it was essential to develop a better understanding of how key trends relating to manufacturing might develop, particularly those related to technology and globalisation.