§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to hold a manufacturing summit(a) in the UK and (b) elsewhere. [83923]
§ Alan Johnson[holding answer 28 November 2002]: We have no current plans to hold a manufacturing summit in the UK or elsewhere.
We meet industrial partners frequently to share views on the key manufacturing issues, and to focus on the practical steps of taking forward the Government's Manufacturing Strategy. For example, my colleague the Minister for Small Business met Chairs of the Regional Development Agencies, together with Digby Jones of the CBI, Brendan Barber of the TUC, and Martin Temple of the EEF on 3 December to discuss the publication of the Regional Development Agencies' reports on manufacturing which set out specific achievements to date and key strategic initiatives for the delivery of the Manufacturing Strategy at the regional level.