New ideas in the technology sector will be vital to the future of UK manufacturing, according to science minister Ian Pearson.

The manufacturing sector provides about three million jobs and produces more than half of all exports.

But innovation is crucial in the face of ever-increasing global competition.

“It is something of a truism that, in this day and age, we’re running to stand still,” Pearson told a meeting of the government-backed Technology Strategy Board in London last week.

“Innovation is absolutely imperative to success,” he said. The government’s science and innovation strategy, outlining its approach to research and development, is published this spring.

“Science and technology are vital in creating widely applicable technologies that can open up new markets,” said Pearson. “We will also be looking at business innovation and the UK intellectual property framework.”

The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills will spend almost £6bn on science and research by 2010-11.