The Government should have a target that 20% of each type of manufactured good (i.e. tables) purchased in the UK is made in the UK. This will require a cultural shift to move away from cost and will require individuals and organisations to take a holistic view of spending. Taking into account the wider picture and not just the bottom line, long-term it is ofter cheaper to buy local and support domestic manufacturing.
This should be achieved in several ways:
1) 50% of everything that a Government department buys should be made in the UK. However to ensure competition the Government should aim to ensure that only 20% of a companies business is from the public sector. The Government should also try to diversify who they buy from with similar items being purchased from different companies where possible (e.g HRMC buy their tables from a different company to the MOD).
2) Tax incentives should be given to companies who relocate manufacturing facilities to the UK.
3) The UK government should be encouraged to buy British with the benefits (e.g. supporting local jobs, reduced carbon footprint) being key messages.
4) The Government should buy locally. This would further diversify the supply base and allow communities to directly benefit for Government investment into the regions. National Government bodies (like the MOD) should not purchase their food centrally but from local suppliers.
Whilst this represents a dramatic change to Government direction over the last 30+ years there is more to domestic security than the ability to manufacture certain weapons. HMG need to review security, including supply, in the whole and retain an ability to make it not just buy it.
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