The North East Must Be At The Forefront Of High Tech Manufacturing

Here in the North East, we have a fantastic tradition of engineering and manufacturing. I believe that we can build on this proud tradition to be at the forefront of a new wave of high tech manufacturing and green industry jobs. That will happen if we have the imagination and if we have the vision to ensure that the North Eastern economy becomes a trailblazer for the next generation of new industries.

Yesterday, James Dyson set out his report aimed at making Britain Europe's leading generator of new technology and Europe's leading creator of high tech jobs. It made clear that we should do much more to encourage high tech businesses, as well as ensuring that we take the best new ideas from the universities into the marketplace.

In the North East, we have a peerless heritage of innovation and engineering. We have the natural resources, the people, the skills and the universities to be major players in a new, high-tech manufacturing economy. Sadly, in recent years we have seen the economic gap between us and other regions increase. We need dedication, vision and leadership to become trailblazers in high tech and green industries and regain our rightful place as an economic and manufacturing collosus.