§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that procurement by the Government supports innovation within UK manufacturing. [163568]
§ Ms HewittThis Government are committed to British manufacturing and helping manufacturers in Britain to compete successfully for public contracts.
That is why the my right hon. Friend Prime Minister has asked me to chair a cross-government ministerial team to deliver the agenda set out in the Government's Innovation Report, building on work to identify areas where public procurement can better facilitate innovation and how this can be achieved, particularly through developing guidance for public procurers on how to procure innovative solutions and working with NHS Estates to draw innovation through the supply chain.
This is also why in October 2002 this Government launched their Defence Industrial Policy, which commits us to become more innovative in the awarding of major defence contracts and which was the context for the decision to award the contract for Hawk.