Britain backs Bombardier 02 March 2016
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson highlighted the recent job losses at Bombardier during an adjournment debate he secured in the House of Commons yesterday.
During the debate, he said “The aerospace industry in Northern Ireland contributes £1.1 billion to our local economy, and to put that into perspective, that is 10% of our overall operating budget of the Northern Ireland Executive. Bombardier is also responsible for 10% of Northern Ireland’s total export manufacturing figures.”
He asked the Government to “leave no stone unturned in considering how we can best support Bombardier, especially given the investment that has been present for the C Series.” He continued “I am also keen for UK Trade & Investment to take a more imaginative approach when considering how it can best support various aircraft manufacturers when they seek to secure orders internationally.”
Mr Robinson also called upon the Government to encourage the inclusion of the C series in mixed fleets in small airports across city centres, and said that “support for a markedly innovative industry must form part of the Government’s action plan and proceed with personal commitment to arrange a roundtable on procurement with MoD for the Aerospace, Defence and Security Industry; including the 27 firms in East Belfast.”
Anna Soubry, the Minister for Manufacturing, who visited Bombardier following an invitation from the DUP MP told the House about the industry-led talent retention solution which was available to all employees across the UK. She explained that “this programme is designed to help any skilled Bombardier employees who lose their jobs to secure re-employment quickly within the advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors.”
The Minister also said large sums of money had been set aside for aerospace research between 2013 and 2026 including £9.5 billion for six projects at Bombardier. The Minister confirmed that the Government “will work to support the company’s export campaigns, and UK Export Finance also stands ready to support C Series aircraft sales.”
Speaking specifically about the C Series aircraft programme, she confirmed “along with the Northern Ireland Executive, we are fully committed to Bombardier’s C Series aircraft programme. We have jointly supported the wing development by committing £113.37 million of repayable launch investment, and we stand ready to provide export promotion and finance to support it.”
The Minister also expressed concern about the loss of apprenticeships at the firm and committed to doing all she could to address that issue.
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