Manufacturing Industry (Hansard, 18 June 1998)

§ 17. Mr. Robathan
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the prospects for manufacturing industry. [45068]

§ Mr. Nigel Griffiths
Despite tough competition in domestic and overseas markets, UK manufacturing output is expected to grow both this year and next.

§ 21. Mr. Baldry
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the level of United Kingdom manufacturing exports for(a) the last three-month period for which records are available and (b) the same period in the previous year. [45072]

§ Mrs. Roche
In the three months to March 1998, United Kingdom exported manufactured goods, worth £32.8 billion, little changed from a year earlier. The volume of manufactured exports, grew by 5 per cent. over the same period.

§ 22. Mrs. Lait
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received on the prospects for manufacturing industry to the year 2000. [45073]

§ Mrs. Beckett
Every day, I hear success stories about British manufacturing industry. I also hear about its strengths and weaknesses and about the issues which affect its short and long-term prospects. The Government's task is to work in partnership with industry to build on the strengths, address the weaknesses and promote the sustainable healthy businesses on which we depend as a nation for our future prosperity.