Manufacturing (Hansard, 6 November 2003)

§ Mr. Djanogly
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what(a) proportion and (b) volume in financial terms of manufacturing conducted by companies registered in the UK (i) was carried out within the UK in 1993 and (ii) is carried out within the UK now; and what estimate her Department has made of the (A) proportion and (B) volume in (x) 2004, (y) 2008 and (z) 2013. [135081]

§ Jacqui Smith
The information requested is not available.

§ Mr. Rosindell
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to encourage young people to work in the manufacturing sector. [135505]

§ Ms Hewitt
Through the Government's National Skills Strategy we are working closely with all sectors of industry, and other stakeholders, to ensure that employers have access to the right skills to support their businesses and organisations. This is complemented by recent changes to the National Curriculum to add
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vocational choice, which will encourage young people to understand the opportunities that careers in various sectors, including manufacturing, can offer them.
The DTI also published a Manufacturing Strategy, in May 2002, which set out seven areas of activity for manufacturing success, one of which was raising skills and education levels.
Modern Apprenticeships are central to this Government's drive to improve the opportunities for work-based vocational training. Our target is that by 2004, 28 per cent. of young people will start a modern apprenticeship by age 22. To aid us in this task we have has set up a Modern Apprenticeship Taskforce to look at ways to increase the opportunities available for young people to participate in high quality Modern Apprenticeships and to recommend effective and innovative ways of ensuring that Modern Apprenticeship programmes respond to the changing needs of employers and young people.
Many of the new Sector Skills Councils are helping to promote careers in manufacturing. In particular, SEMTA is supporting SETNET and financing careers advice; Skillfast UK has produced CDs containing careers advice for use in schools and colleges; and Pro-skills is developing a sandwiched based student apprenticeship programme.
My Department continues to support the SETNET scheme, which was created in 1996 to raise interest in science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) in young people (between five and 18) by showing them that they can lead to interesting and rewarding careers—which clearly includes the manufacturing sector. SETNET operates through 53 local SETPOINTS around the UK and is involved in the provision of schemes, resources and initiatives to enrich the delivery of STEM activities in schools.
We are also taking steps to encourage interest in manufacturing and other STEM careers among women and ethnic minorities.