answer text |
<p>The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has worked jointly with
Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) and UKTI to encourage investment
in UK energy supply chains, in both UK-owned and UK-based companies, and to achieve
higher levels of UK content in energy infrastructure. We have worked constructively
with project developers to enhance the opportunities for UK-based companies to win
contracts and with top tier suppliers to encourage them to invest in the UK.</p><p><strong></strong></p><p>BIS
continues to work with DECC and the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) to encourage investment
in the UK Continental shelf (UKCS) and these arrangements include the formation of
a Supply Chain Board to promote development of the oil and gas supply chain. Subsequent
to the Oil & Gas Skills Analysis Report we maintain a regular dialogue with Offshore
Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO), the oil and gas skills body, who
advise on skills gaps.</p><br /><p>For large renewable energy projects, developers
are required to have their Supply Chain Plans approved by Government, setting out
how they will boost competition, innovation and skills, before they are eligible to
apply for price support under the Contract for Difference regime. BIS has supported
the GROW: Offshore Wind programme to help SMEs in England to compete in the offshore
wind supply chain and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult to help companies bring
new technologies to market.</p><br /><p>Open competition is important to bring down
the costs of energy and, in open competition, UK bidders do not always win the contracts.
We have made no specific assessment of the impact of UK contractors failing to win
contracts on the UK economy, including the Scotland economy, and on the UK skills
base.</p><br /><p>More widely, the Government is taking a number of steps to strengthen
UK manufacturing supply chains and help these businesses compete in global markets.</p><br
/><p>First and foremost, we are building a strong economy and a competitive business
environment. We are backing manufacturers by cutting corporation tax, slashing red
tape by a further £10billion and investing £6.9billion in the UK’s infrastructure.
This is creating the right economic conditions to encourage the business investment
crucial to UK manufacturing productivity growth and jobs.</p><br /><p>Through the
sectors councils we are working closely with manufacturing companies to understand
their needs and remove barriers in their path. The Government continues to invest
in our world leading aerospace, automotive, defence and transport sectors and has
reformed procurement rules so the supply chain can reap maximum benefit; whilst the
High Value Manufacturing Catapult shows how companies can adapt to new technologies
reduce their costs and boost productivity. One in six manufacturers have reshored
production over the past three years and around one third of the 2,000 new Foreign
Direct Investment projects landed in 2014/15 were in the areas of advanced manufacturing
and life sciences. Business has the confidence to invest and make things in the UK
again because the Government is getting the fundamentals of the economy right and
creating a highly competitive, pro-business environment.</p><br />
|
|