Government unveils £200m tech centre network details

The government has published plans to spend £200m on a network of six to eight high-tech manufacturing centres to help wean the UK economy off financial services as the primary source of economic strength.

The government has targeted energy & resource efficiency, transport systems, healthcare, ICT and electronics, photonics & electrical systems. Prime minister David Cameron first announced the idea in October.

Announcing the detailed scheme, which will be overseen by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), deputy prime minister Nick Clegg (pictured) said the banking crisis had made plain that Britain needed a new kind of growth.

"It is not right, sensible or fair to be dependent solely on the City of London and on financial services. We should be at the cutting edge of science, manufacturing and technology," he said.

Business secretary Vince Cable said the new technology innovation centres would help UK industry to capitalise on future global markets by drawing on leading edge research.

The TSB is inviting business, academic and other interest groups to comment on the proposals and help shape how the centres will be developed.