❓ We ask, will 'Levelling Up' actually help manufacturers?

No, I’m not talking about *that* report, rather the Government’s much anticipated Levelling Up White Paper. Originally promised before Christmas, the delayed White Paper is expected to be published this week. And in it, we are expecting Government to share the direction of travel for what a levelled up UK may look like.

We know it will focus on these four areas which have already been set out by Neil O'Brien MP and Minister at Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

We’re asking just that in our new Levelling Up Manufacturing survey. So if you are a manufacturer, have your say and shape our response to the Government here.

✍🏽 This week’s intro remarks are from Bhavina Bharkhada, Head of Policy & Campaigns

Our fourth policy campaign for 2022! And it is all about supporting UK manufacturers to operate without borders. Our Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU gives us the ability to do things differently and better suited economically.

In the years ahead, agility and speed of action will enable us to deliver for our economy, enhancing our prosperity and security. We must continue to be a global champion of free and fair trade and to ensure that the openness of our economy – to the free flow of trade, capital, data, innovation, and ideas - means that the UK remains one of the best places in the world to do business.

This year we will be supporting manufacturers to do just that. Our dedicated EU Hub will be transitioning to an Export Hub - helping manufacturers to explore new markets. And a big focus of our policy work will centre around building resilient global supply chains.

So this year, look out for publications across the year on:

If any of these sound interesting and you want to collaborate, or just learn more, get in touch with the team.

We welcomed BEIS Secretary of State, Kwasi Kwarteng to Broadway House last week to hear directly from manufacturers. Amongst the discussion with members, points were raised around the sector’s importance to the UK economy, the key role of manufacturers in levelling up and how we turbocharge productivity through digital adoption. There was also the mention of a possible Manufacturing Strategy as part of the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper (🤞).

We raised the challenge of soaring input prices and the potential impacts of costs being passed on to consumers with Pat McFadden MP too. And given Pat’s background in education, we spoke about the Apprenticeship Levy and potential reforms - agreeing it was critical that we saw more people entering the sector and choosing apprenticeships as the entry point.

Something with we also pushed in the Financial Times last week too 👇

We wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, warning that failure to act will result in lower investment, an increase in poverty and the risk of an inflationary spiral. As a result, urgent and decisive Government action is required to tackle the UK’s energy crisis.

Read more 👇

This new report explores the current and future use of artificial intelligence (AI) by UK businesses. In the sub-sector breakdown, it finds that manufacturing businesses spent the most on labour and technology expenditure on AI in 2020, a total of £9.6 billion. 

However, when it comes to the adoption of AI, our sector doesn’t fare so well. High tech sectors and high-value services have the highest rates of adoption currently while some of the largest sectors with high potential for growth, such as construction and manufacturing, have some of the lowest rates of adoption. 

📺 Make UK / RSM: Credit, cash and continuance webinar

Join Make UK and RSM experts at two upcoming webinars to discuss the state of the manufacturing industry’s liquidity and risks to its financial health. Chaired by Arthi Nachiappan, Economics Correspondent for The Times, manufacturers, we’ll discuss what actions manufacturers are taking in the short term in the first webinar, and then longer-term strategies for financial security and growth in the second webinar.

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Copy editor: Bhavina Bharkhada, Head of Policy & Campaigns