A|D|S, the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space trade organisation, has commented on the Government’s detailed coalition document.
We welcome the Government’s intention to boost enterprise, support green growth and build a new and more responsible economic model. In order to create “a fairer and more balanced economy, where we are not so dependent on a narrow range of economic sectors” high-tech, high-growth manufacturing with strong export potential will be crucial.
The UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space sectors are such industries, and we look forward to working with the Government to boost our nation’s economy. The Government’s support for SMEs is also most welcome. As the drivers of innovation in our sectors and the supply chains they will be vital for companies of all sizes to do their bit for the UK.
We are disappointed that the Government may be putting our economic recovery at risk and reducing our ability to trade globally by restricting future airport expansion. The UK aviation industry has a publicly-available plan in place to meet the predicted threefold rise in passenger demand to by 2050 while simultaneously reducing its CO2 emissions to 2000 levels over the same timescale. There is therefore no sound reason to block much-needed airport expansion. As a world leader in the aerospace industry and in the construction of sustainable airports the Government should be supporting flying instead of restricting it.
We support the Government’s aims to create the most competitive corporate tax regime in the G20 while protecting manufacturing industries and to make the UK the leading high-tech exporter in Europe — as well as to refocus the research and development tax credit on hi-tech companies, small firms and start-ups. Despite the coalition’s disagreement on nuclear energy, the security and constant supply of affordable energy must be a priority for the Government if these goals are to be attained. In both aerospace and defence the UK is number one in Europe and number two in the world behind only the US; these high-growth export sectors can deliver a real boost to the economic recovery with the appropriate, targeted support.
The UK’s high-tech manufacturing and services sectors are facing a large number of retirements in the near future. To maintain the nation’s leadership in these sectors it is absolutely right that the Government should seek to attract more top science and maths graduates to be teachers, as well as ways to support the creation of apprenticeships, internships, work pairings, and college and workplace training places.