Speaking at an event organised by the professional engineering community, the Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, told a packed room of the need to put the conditions in place to allow engineering and high tech manufacturing to thrive in the UK.
Kenneth Clarke, speaking alongside David Waboso FREng, Director of Lines Upgrades at London Underground, and Dr Rachel Cooke, Project Manager at Cadbury's, set out the Conservative Party view that Government was not well placed to predict the most important technologies for the future. The proper role for Government was to create the environment in which enterprise can thrive. He went on to say that tax incentives and grants could play some role in supporting the economic recovery and suggested that environmental technologies and high tech manufacturing were two key areas for the UK's future.
Mr Clarke said: The future lies with engineering. High tech manufacturing and engineering aimed at niche markets must be allowed to thrive in Britain."
The idea that the modern economies only have services is very dead indeed. Engineering is an absolutely key area."
The event was chaired by Andrew Haldenby, Director of the Reform think tank, which had helped to organise similar events held by the engineering community under the banner Engineering the future at the three main party conferences. All speakers, of all parties, had agreed that engineering will play a crucial role in future, he pointed out.
David Waboso pointed out that UK engineering is world-leading and is crucial to underpin the growth, prosperity and sustainability agendas. He reminded the meeting that it takes 10 years to create a skilled engineer and that massive infrastructure projects need long-term commitment. "We need to see a vision from Government that will enable engineering to achieve the world class solutions that we know we have to offer," he said.
Dr Rachel Cooke, former IChemE Young Woman Engineer of the Year, told the meeting about her work to inspire more young people into a career that can make a far-reaching and beneficial influence on society. Shesaid: "An engineer is someone who can do for 50 pence what anyone else can do for a pound. What country would not want more of them?"
Speaking on behalf of the engineering community, Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of the Engineering and Technology Board (ETB) said: "It was very encouraging to see how absolutely packed the room was today. This shows the real interest that is now being shown in engineering and technology as a path to economic recovery. Now it is important that we see action taken to ensure that this goal is achieved."
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