Press release: Industrial Strategy set to get Wales’ economy firing on all cylinders

Ministers for the UK Government in Wales will today mark the publication of the Industrial Strategy White Paper on visits to businesses in South, North and Mid Wales (27 November).

• Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will visit the Airbus Campus in Newport – home to highly skilled engineering and research personnel, which provides Highly Secure Communications Solutions to a world leading Cyber Security portfolio.

• Guto Bebb will visit Brenig Construction in Colwyn Bay which delivers project management and construction services for civil engineering and building contracts throughout the whole of North Wales and beyond

• Lord Bourne will visit the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth – an education centre demonstrating practical solutions for sustainability and all aspects of green living.

The Industrial Strategy sets out how the UK Government is building a Britain fit for the future – how it will help businesses create better, higher-paying jobs across the country with investment in the skills, industries and infrastructure of the future.

Ministers will visit businesses across Wales to outline how business and academic sectors and civic society can reap the rewards of a strategy that will play to the nation’s strengths.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will launch the Industrial Strategy White Paper in Wales at Airbus’ Newport Campus.

Here he will see first-hand the critical work the company does in the field of cyber security and how the company can benefit from one of the Grand Challenges laid down by the strategy today.

Alun Cairns said:

The Industrial Strategy sets out a compelling vision for the future of the UK economy and a new approach to preparing for the opportunities and challenges of the coming decades.

One of the Grand Challenges put forward in this strategy is to put the UK at the forefront of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data revolution.

To support rapid adoption of AI technologies at scale, the UK Government wants to work with priority business sectors, including cyber security – an area where the Airbus Campus in Newport excels in. I am grateful to them for the opportunity to see this in action today and to see how they can rise to the challenge of the Industrial Strategy.

Guto Bebb will meet with senior executives at construction company, Brenig in Colwyn Bay where he will underline the UK Government’s commitments to supporting the growth of the North Wales economy through the strategy.

UK Government Minister Guto Bebb said:

The Industrial Strategy recognises that no two places in the UK are the same with each place having its own unique identity and strengths.

Between Deeside, Wrexham, Manchester and Merseyside we have one of the strongest manufacturing channels in the UK. North Wales also has an energy sector making a huge contribution to a low carbon future, and an aerospace sector which is admired the world over.

Our backing for growth deals and cross border working in this strategy will provide further opportunity to make the most of the region’s connections to the Northern Powerhouse.

Lord Bourne will be visiting the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth to highlight how Wales can make a real contribution to the UK Government’s clean growth plan of the strategy.

UK Government Minister Lord Bourne said;

The move to cleaner economic growth– through low carbon technologies and the efficient use of resources – is one of the greatest industrial opportunities of our time.

The Centre for Alternative Technology’s work in highlighting environmental issues and solutions over the past 43 years has inspired thousands of people to care more about and to do more to help the natural world, I look forward to seeing how the work they do can play key role in researching the technologies and innovations we need to create a clean growth future.