The Government has called in top business and union leaders to help it try to restore the fortunes of British manufacturing.

Business Secretary John Hutton revealed he was calling on the best brains from the CBI, TUC and Engineering Employers Federation to help the Government draw up a strategy for manufacturers.

He made the announcement after new figures exposed the sharp decline in manufacturing in the West Midlands.

The number of people employed in manufacturing in the region fell from 401,000 in 2004 to 341,000 today, according to figures published this month.

But the dramatic fall has been partly hidden by a huge increase in the number of public sector jobs.

The number employed in in "education, health, public admin and other services" rose from 704,000 to 755,000 in the same period.

Mr Hutton announced the creation of a Ministerial Advisory Group, which he said would help draw up a new manufacturing strategy.

It will report to Stephen Timms, a Minister in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, formerly the DTI. Members will be named early next year.

Ministers are hoping to revive the manufacturing sector by focusing on "green" tech-nologies, such as renewable energy and other low-carbon technology.

Mr Hutton said: "UK manufacturing has a crucial role to play in helping us accelerate to a low carbon economy.

"There are many new and exciting technologies available for the UK to take advantage of, including on and offshore wind power, LED lighting, fuel-cell powered vehicles, carbon capture and storage, biomass, microgeneration, wave and tidal technology.

"Global demand for wind energy generation is growing by 20 per cent each year and I want to help UK manufacturers see these opportunities and exploit the wealth of expertise already at their disposal.

"Our refreshed strategy will ensure Government is doing all it can to assist UK manufacturing compete globally and take advantage of exciting new markets."

He pointed out that the UK is still the sixth largest manufacturing country in the world, and manufacturing represents 14 per cent of GDP.

Birmingham MP Richard Burden (Lab Northfield) said environmental technologies were increasingly important to Midland manufacturers such as Land Rover or Jaguar.

He said: "It's not just about wind farms. As the environment becomes a priority across the world there is more demand for vehicles with efficient engines, lightweight bodies and aerodynamic designs, for example.

"There have been pressures on manufacturing across the world, but we have certainly experienced them in the West Midlands.

"The answer is not to turn our back on manufacturing, or to imagine that Britain can have a strong economy without it.

"It is still a vitally important part of the economy, so the Government needs to look at how it can be strengthened."

The automotive industry in the West Midlands has been hit by a series of job losses at MG Rover, in Mr Burden's Northfield constituency, Jaguar's plant in Coventry and Peugeot's plant, also in Coventry.

The future of 15,000 people at Jaguar in Birmingham and Land Rover's facility in Solihull is also uncertain, after Ford, which owns both business, put them up for sale.