STAFFORDSHIRE has lost 21,100 manufacturing jobs during the recession, according to a new report – the biggest fall in the UK.

The report, from union GMB, shows the number of manufacturing jobs in the county fell from 74,200 in 2006/07 to 53,100 in 2010/11.

In Stoke-on-Trent, the number of manufacturing jobs dropped by 6,400, from 20,500 to 14,100.

Across the UK as a whole 706,300 manufacturing jobs have been lost.

The GMB report was based on the Office for National Statistics' Annual Population Survey, but councillor Ben Adams, Staffordshire County Council cabinet member for economic growth and enterprise, said that includes jobs based outside the county.

He said: "We focus on the Business Register and Employment Survey and Annual Business Inquiry which shows that Staffordshire's loss of manufacturing jobs between 2007 and 2010 was actually 11.8 per cent, which is below the national and regional averages."

Those reports say that Staffordshire lost 5,400 manufacturing jobs between 2007 and 2010.

But during the same period it gained 1,100 high-tech manufacturing jobs; a 45.8 per cent increase compared with a national fall of 11.9 per cent.

Mr Adams said: "High-technology manufacturing is a key target sector as these jobs are well-paid and sustainable."

He added: "We are committed to supporting businesses in Staffordshire, whether they are leading global names or small family enterprises."

Mr Adams said the council is backing a number of measures to support enterprise, including the new business advice helpline (0300 111 8002) launched by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Councillor Mark Meredith, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cabinet member for economic development, said: "Economies of scale in overseas production has meant that the UK has been losing manufacturing jobs consistently for 30 years.

"However, the overall figure for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire disguises the fact that we started from a much higher base than other parts of the West Midlands – for example Sandwell, Warwickshire and Worcestershire have lost higher percentages of their manufacturing base."

Mr Meredith added that the council's Mandate for Change initiatives will have helped create 400 new jobs by the end of the financial year.

He said a "significant" number of those are in manufacturing, citing the authority's support of Middleport tableware firm Steelite, which won £2.1 million in Government funding last year towards an expansion that will create 200 jobs.

Support on offer from the council includes help with access to finance, recruitment and finding the right premises, plus advice on how to cut energy costs.