In his speech to the 2011 Tory
Party Conference, George Osborne highlighted the development of a new wonder-material,
‘Graphene’ by researchers at the University of Manchester. He correctly
explained how the material –with its properties of extreme high strength, flexibility
and electrical superconductivity - had thousands of potential applications -
and that our region was well placed to be the world-leader in ‘Graphene
Industries’. He even pledged £50m of funding to assist with its development.
To date, only 1% of the patents
for applications of Graphene have been filed in the UK. Firms in the USA,
China, Germany and Japan have over 90% of the patents. Even South Korea, a
country with a population of 2/3rds that of our own has filed nearly
25 times the number Graphene Patents.
This unfortunate and all too
familiar tale of ‘defeat snatched from
the jaws of victory’ illustrates perfectly the shortcomings of this and previous
governments when it comes to understanding science, technology and industry.
The UK has world-leading facilities
when it comes to scientific research. However, we also have a terrible shortage
of Engineers to develop these new technologies into saleable products. Research
by the IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) reveals that 59% of
companies were concerned that a shortage of Engineers posed a threat to their
business and prevented them investing in the UK.
On my visits to schools as part
of the Rotary Club’s ‘Science Week’, I am often taken aback by students who don’t
even know what Engineering is, but
are enthralled when I explain the interesting, varied and well-paid jobs
available in the sector.
So how has the government risen
to this challenge? It has scrapped GCSEs in Engineering, Manufacturing and
Electronics. Unable reduce the influx of unskilled labour from the EU, it has ruthlessly
clamped down on immigration of highly skilled individuals from non-EU countries.
According to Home Office figures, only 1,171 Engineers entered the UK from
outside the EU last year. This pales into insignificance to the 87,000 new
Engineers required each year to meet demand (IET figure).
What is more, non-EU postgraduate
students (a majority of research students - just like Andre Geim and Knstantin
Novoselov who developed Graphene) are now being asked to leave the UK after
their studies, taking all their research and knowhow with them. This is a government
sponsored brain drain.
Industry does not need hand-outs
of taxpayer’s money. More than anything it needs a well-educated workforce,
equipped with the skills necessary for the UK to compete with the most advanced
economies in the world.
UKIP’s policies of scrapping
Tuition Fees on STEM subjects and introducing an Australian Style Points-Based
Immigration policy based on the needs of industry will address this problem.
Cllr. Stuart Hutton CEng MIET
UKIP Parliamentary Candidate for
Tatton.
