The Prime Minister has visited Airbus UK’s manufacturing facility in the north Wales town of Broughton today.
Gordon Brown visited the site, which is being extended to help meet orders for the new A350 – the fastest selling passenger aircraft of all time.
The PM told workers and apprentices that the investment made in Airbus in the last few months is important for securing the future of the company.
“We are determined that this is and remains the biggest manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom.
At the same time, where small and medium-sized firms are finding it difficult with cash flow, thousands have benefited from the schemes that we have set up.”
He said the government was working to maintain the number of apprenticeships and to increase young people going to college and university.
“Any young person who has left school in the last few months has been offered further education, training or work.
Jobs are our first priority. We certainly don’t want to see a generation of young people who are lost to the labour market as we did in the 1980s.”
Mr Brown also visited the EA Technology Energy Innovation Centre in Chester today, where he was shown several examples of innovative green technologies.
The visit was followed by a round-table meeting chaired by Liam Byrne, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, where Mr Brown met business leaders from the North West to discuss the economic situation.
The PM met the Government’s ‘victims champion’ Sara Payne, who today released a report on support for victims in the UK.
During his visit to the Ditton Community Centre in Widnes, Cheshire, Mr Brown also spoke to victims of anti-social behaviour who have received support from local workers.