Forbes Mutch/Bristol
THE UK GOVERNMENT says that it is unlikely to increase direct funding for aerospace research and development, despite a call from industry to develop a UK technology-demonstrator programme.
The programme has been proposed as part of the Society of British Aerospace Companies' (SBAC) Strategy Initiative to revitalise the UK aerospace industry (Flight International, 29 November-5 December), the second phase of which was launched at the organisation's Competitiveness Challenge annual conference which was held in Bristol on 29 November.
The society has introduced what it calls a "National Aerospace Framework", which details a ten-point action plan, including the "agreement by industry and Government to a major demonstrator programme... with shared funding rising to £200 million [$310 million] per year". A 50:50 funding split between aerospace companies and the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is proposed in the plan.
Tim Eggar, UK Minister for Trade and Industry has said, however, that finding more money is "...not going to be easy".
Speaking at Bristol, Eggar defended the Government's funding record, saying that aerospace already receives "considerable public funding compared to other industry sectors". The Government's Civil Aviation Research and Development budget stands at £25.3 million for 1995-6.
On a broader platform, Eggar welcomes the SBAC's initiatives and says that the Government is "...committed to working closely with industry in its drive for greater competitiveness".
The DTI and SBAC released a joint policy statement at the Bristol meeting, which calls for closer co-operation in areas ranging from defence procurement to international partnerships and market access and support for exports.
Eggar says that the DTI is playing its part in promoting exports, pointing out that its staff have recently visited the USA to see what lessons can be learned by UK companies wishing to become part of the US supply chain. "There needs to be a radical change of attitude on the part of UK suppliers to compete successfully," he says. "The US majors want to ensure that the suppliers they retain are locked into a long-term relationship."
He adds that the DTI will also be conducting a similar exercise with Airbus Industrie, hoping "...to further strengthen our place in the Airbus supply chain".
Source: Flight International
