Engineering Profession (Finniston Report)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:19 am on 13 June 1980.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Frank Hooley Mr Frank Hooley , Sheffield, Heeley 10:19, 13 June 1980

The hon. Gentleman makes an extremely good point, but the problem is even more fundamental. In this country there is a functional conflict with the engineering area of manufacturing industries and the financial institutions in the City—the people who manipulate the cash. Unfortunately, this Government are more interested in manoeuvring the cash then getting on with the business of strengthening our manufacturing industry. Although they may have been imperfect instruments, the previous Government created such organisations as the Manpower Services Commission in the sphere of training and the National Enterprise Board in the sphere of investment. Instead of strengthening and backing up those instruments, which are vitally important for manufacturing industry, this Government are setting about destroying them.