Esther McVey: Rebalance the economy and build on previous success

Jan 25 2012 Heswall News

FIGURES out this week show that car manufacturing across the UK grew by 5.8 % last year, that’s 1.34 million cars being produced here in Britain.

But even more significantly car production at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant grew by nearly 35% such is the high demand for the Astra Sports Tourer made at Ellesmere Port.

A total of 91% of these cars are bound for export to mainland Europe and further afield. The Land Rover Halewood plant grew by over 30% too last year which is also great news for Merseyside, and local car production.

When the Coalition Government came into power we said one of our key concerns was to rebalance the economy, increase manufacturing and increase exports and build business. We need to ensure we build on these local successes so that the growth is bedded into the local community with associated supply chains and increased employment.

The Government is helping Britain become more business focussed and more growth focussed by reducing Corporation tax, supporting and funding apprenticeships, over 440,000 so far, offering financial assistance through the Regional Growth Fund and establishing University Technical Colleges to educate the next generation of youngsters move into engineering, manufacturing and science .

Under Labour manufacturing declined three times as fast as it did during the 1980s. Manufacturing accounted for more than 20% of the economy in 1997, but by 2007, that share had declined to 12.4%. This Government is working to reverse what happened under Labour, and get Britain working again.