Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of gross valued added is accounted for by manufacturing in the South East. [115802]

Mark Prisk MP; Minister of State (Business and Enterprise): The latest regional figures (2009) from the Office for National Statistics show that manufacturing in the South East accounted for 8.8% of gross value added in the region and 1.2% of total UK gross value added.

This is a lower proportion than the UK as a whole where manufacturing makes up 10% of UK gross value added.

The South East as a whole contributed 14.3% to total UK gross value added.