The Chancellor has unveiled a £7 billion package to help businesses with energy bills.
In his Budget, George Osborne said energy costs will be cut through investment in nuclear power, renewable energy and shale gas.
Among the proposals are capping carbon capping at £18 per tonne from 2017 to the rest of the decade, saving medium sized manufacturers as much as £50,000, he claimed.
Mr Osborne also said he was extending the existing scheme for energy intensive industries to 2020. Heavy energy users make up more than a third of manufacturing exports, and the Chancellor said this scheme will keep them in the UK.
Elsewhere, he revealed £1 billion to help towards renewables bills for manufacturers.
He told MPs: “Today I have cut the cost of manufacturing in Britain. Half of he firms that will benefit most are in the north of England
“A government on the side of manufacturers and a Britain that makes things again.”
Elsewhere, he committed to establish new centres for doctoral training, cell therapy and graphene.
He said this was: “To make sure we give young people the skills they need to get good jobs in this modern world we have doubled the number of apprenticeships.”
