BOLTON North-east MP David Crausby has pledged that he will continue to press the Government for a better deal for the country's beleagured manufacturing industry.

He thinks ministers do not give manufacturing the priority it deserves.

Mr Crausby raised the issue this week in a Commons question to Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for work and Pensions.

He asked the minister what action he was taking to help the increasing number of people who were losing jobs in manufacturing to find other jobs in the industry.

"Does he agree that this nation cannot afford to lose those valuable skills?" Mr Crausby said.

Mr Darling replied: "I agree with my honourable friend that we must do everything possible to ensure that we get people who lose their job, whether it is in manufacturing or elsewhere, back into work as quickly as possible."

He said that philosophy had underpinned the Government's approach to employment policies over the past four years and it would continue to do so.

And he pointed out that although there had been a number of redundancy announcements, some 34,500 new jobs were announced in the month to October 10. "For some reason, the announcement of new jobs does not tend to get the same coverage as redundancies," Mr Darling said.

"I do not for one moment seek to play down the significance of the redundancies that have been announced and their effect on individuals and on the communities where they take place.

"But I assure my honourable friend that the Employment Service will do everything possible, through its jobs transition service and other measures, to ensure that those who lose their job can get back into work."

Mr Crausby, who used to work at Beloit Walmsley, Bolton, said afterwards: "We have economic stability and low inflation and we need a strong manufacturing base if we want the economy to continue to grow.

"Some people believe that service drives the modern economy and dot coms are where the action is but we need to actually make things."

He added: "There has been a decline of manufacturing over many years, jobs in textiles are disappearing at an unacceptable rate -- mainly because companies cannot cut cost enough to compete with overseas suppliers.

"I believe that the Government does not give manufacturing the priority it deserves and that is why I intend to raise this matter in the Commons at every opportunity."