THE launch of a new £14 million national academy to teach manufacturing skills has been welcomed by Bolton MP David Crausby.

The new academy is one of a series set up by Government across sectors of industry.

It will deliver courses designed by industry experts, training 40,000 students a year by 2012.

Some of the biggest names in British manufacturing, including Rolls Royce, Ford and BAe Systems are backing the project.

The national centre, in Birmingham, will join up with lead colleges in each region of England, delivering courses under the National Skills Academy brand.

The college planned for the North-west region will "come on stream" by the end of 2007.

The aim is to have up to 12 academies across a range of industries operational by 2008 and the Government is investing £90 million in the programme, which will be delivered through the Learning and Skills Council, working with employers and their Sector Skills Councils.

Mr Crausby, MP for Bolton North-east, who worked in manufacturing for more than 20 years before joining Parliament in 1997, said: "I'm delighted that the Government is paying more attention to the manufacturing sector's needs.

"Manufacturing is vital for this country.

"It generates 15 per cent of the UK's GDP, employs 12 per cent of the UK's entire workforce and accounts for £150 billion in exports.

"The new Skills Academy for Manufacturing can be the production line for the next generation of highly trained, highly motivated manufacturing workers."

Mr Crausby is currently supporting a campaign by the union Amicus to promote the future of manufacturing in the UK with the appointment of a designated government minister.

He said: "What I would like to see would be a minister appointed for manufacturing who would have direct responsibility to oversee the positive promotion of UK manufacturing."