EDT (2) SP24

Economic Development and Transport Committee's review of science policy in Wales

Submission from:

Martin Evans

Visiting Fellow

University of Glamorgan

The Aerospace sector is an important one for Wales. Manufacturing is important in north Wales with the Airbus plant at Hawarden whilst Manufacturing, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) dominates in the south. British Airways Maintenance Cardiff (BAMC) maintains the British Airways 747 and 777 fleet at Cardiff International Airport. GECAS at Nantgarw maintains aero engines and the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) maintains military aircraft at St. Athan. Although this facility has moved to a brand new building to enable it to work more efficiently, recently work has been transferred back to the RAF and job losses have been announced.There are other threats to the industry in Wales. The emerging economies of the world have are experiencing high levels of growth in air transport and can be expected to develop their own aerospace industries. In the global aerospace industry where work and jobs are easily transferable, a competitor offering a highly trained low wage workforce would be a significant threat to the industry in Wales.There are also significant opportunities. The next Airbus wing for the A350 will be built in composite materials giving us the opportunity to develop expertise in the manufacture and repair of composite structures. The future of aerial warfare lies in the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the WDA has recently established a business park at Aberporth next to the existing testing range to encourage activity in this sector.The Aerospace Forum has said of the industry in Wales 'The industry includes some 200 companies employing 20000 people and has a combined turnover of £2bn per year. This represents about 10 per cent of the UK's aerospace industry' (Aerospace Wales - the Western Mail 2^nd December 2002).Given this level of activity it is therefore surprising that so little aerospace research is being undertaken in our academic institutions. However, it is undoubtedly the case that if our present industry is to be sustained and new opportunities developed then the amount of spending on aerospace research in Wales has to be raised. The department of Trade and Industry established the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) to suggest action that must be taken in response to global threats. "The UK must sustain a level of focused Aerospace applied research and demonstration sufficient to maintain and enhance the UK's position in the global Aerospace market"It is the policy of the Assembly Government that Welsh HEIs should support growth sectors, 'Wales must have HEIs which are globally competitive in research and scholarship across a wide range of disciplines. We also want to see more and closer links built with business - and greater use of research capacity to support business and to reflect its needs. We want higher education to support the development of the knowledge economy, embracing targeted investment in research, in its application, and in knowledge transfer. We expect HEIs to transform themselves into business friendly organisations. We believe that every faculty and every department should use its creative capacity to support institutions' economic missions and to play a key role in their regional economies - working closely with the WDA, local authorities and the National council of ELWA' (Higher Education and the Learning Country - Welsh Assembly Government March 2002).The problem is not a lack of research funds, aerospace research is funded by the aerospace industry, the UK government and the European Union. The growth in the aerospace industry in Wales is comparatively recent, sustained by high levels of support for the industry to locate in Wales. Research spending and infrastructure has until now been concentrated in areas that have a greater historical connection to the aerospace industry. For one of the Welsh HEIs to provide the comprehensive support that the industry needs would require a level of investment that is not available. The Welsh HEIs are therefore looking at ways that the support can be provided by collaborating together. However if substantial research funds are to be attracted and the industry sustained, then the Assembly Government will need to invest in both infrastructure and developmental funding.20^th September 2005