1,000 new green jobs in Hull

The Liberal Democrats have welcomed the announcement by international engineering business, Siemens, that it will open two new factories in Hull, investing at total of £290 million.

This is a bigger investment than previously announced - and will cement the UK's position as No.1 in the world for offshore wind investment and create 1,000 direct green jobs in Hull, along with hundreds more construction jobs.

The two sites will be:

• At Alexandra Dock, where Siemens and ABP are investing in a factory that will assemble offshore wind turbines.
• At Paull, where Siemens are investing in a factory that will make offshore wind turbine blades

The Liberal Democrats in Government have fought to make it easier for companies like Siemens to invest in the UK and create green jobs. We have paved the way for 200,000 new green jobs to be created by 2020.

That's why we're delighted with today's announcement. It also shows how important it is for the UK to remain IN Europe, as Siemens, and many other large employers, have recently said they couldn't continue production in Britain if we left the EU.

Commenting, Lib Dem Energy Secretary Ed Davey said:

"This deal is excellent news for the people of Hull and the Humber, the UK, the wind industry, and our energy security. We are attracting investmentby backing enterprise with better infrastructure and lower taxes. As well as helping to keep the lights on and putting more than 1,000 people in work, this deal means we will help to keep consumer bills down as we invest in home-grown green energy and reduce our reliance on foreign imports.

"This deal shows our strategy for offshore wind is working; bringing investment, green jobs and growth, and helping keep Britain the number one country in the world for offshore wind."