The聽Government’s focus on technology as part of a 拢556 million聽investment into the North鈥檚 industrial future聽has been welcomed by the UK head of tech at accountants KPMG.
Tudor Aw said that investment in robotics, AI, smart energy and 5G is welcome but added that聽similar commitments would be needed in nano technology, autonomous vehicles and the聽Internet of Things.
Prime Minister Theresa May had earlier outlined her聽proposals for a ‘modern industrial strategy’.
鈥淚n a post-Brexit era, it is crucial that the UK tech sector is front and centre of the Government鈥檚 new industrial policy,” Aw reflected.
“I am therefore delighted to see that key areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence, smart energy and 5G have been identified as areas that will underpin the Government鈥檚 approach.
“The hope is that this is just the start and we will see other future disruptive technologies such as nano technology, autonomous vehicles and IoT – ‘connected everything’ –聽get similar focus and funding.”
Hugely encouraged that PM’s post#Brexit industrial strategy includes battery research. Absolutely key for UK
鈥� tudoraw (@Tudoraw)
The cash boost, originally聽announced in the Autumn Statement, will fund the building of an International Advanced Manufacturing Park in Sunderland, which it is hoped will create 5,200 jobs, the Goole Intermodal Terminal, aimed at linking the east Yorkshire town鈥檚 existing rail, sea, motorway and waterway hubs, a 21st Century conference centre and hotel in Blackpool at the Winter Gardens plus flood resilience measures in Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Kirklees and Leeds, among other projects.
鈥淎s has been long recognised, to be successful in tech, we desperately need to upskill our workforce in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects and to see investment in these skills as well as in science, R&D and innovation is hugely promising,鈥� added Aw.
The Government also revealed how investment for the 鈥楴orthern Powerhouse鈥� will be split between 11 local enterprise partnerships.
- Greater Manchester 拢130.1m
- Liverpool City Region 拢72.0m
- Lancashire 拢69.8m
- Leeds City Region 拢67.5m
- North Eastern 拢49.7m
- Cheshire and Warrington 拢43.3m
- Sheffield City Region 拢37.8m
- Humber 拢27.9m
- York, North Yorkshire, East Riding 拢23.7m
- Tees Valley 拢21.8m
- Cumbria 拢12.7m