Prime Minister David Cameron has chosen the hard hat as the outstanding product manufactured in his constituency in West Oxfordshire.

The Associated Parliamentary Manufactur-ing Group, which promotes manufacturing industry in the UK, asked all MPs to single out products for particular recommendation in a project called Made By Britain.

Mr Cameron nominated hard hats by Minster Lovell firm JSP. His citation of the company reads: “JSP is an independent manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE) and industrial head protection.

“Their mission is to develop quality and innovative safety products that help improve occupational safety and health worldwide.

“Established in 1964 with its headquarters and core manufacturing centre in my constituency of West Oxfordshire, JSP currently exports to over 90 countries. I am proud to nominate this local company for its quality, innovative and reliable safety products.”

But to what extent does the business of making things — ie manufacturing — still play a major role in a service industry economy like Oxfordshire’s?

In the Prime Minister’s constituency only 4,300 people, or eight per cent of the workforce, are employed in manufacturing, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics’ Annual Population Survey to June 2011. In the nation as a whole it is 9.8 per cent.

Significantly, JSP is housed in an old blanket mill — evidence of the Witney area’s industrial past, when that figure would have been much higher.

And in the current list of the county’s top 20 employers, only one, BMW’s UK subsidiary, Mini, is a manufacturer.

But in Oxfordshire, with its high proportion of public sector workers employed in such fields as education, health, and high-tech innovation, shielded from the economic buffetings ahead — which may well call for politicians to call for their hard hats, figuratively speaking at least?

Nationally, in the run-up to the Budget next month, and with the credit rating agency Moodys having last week downgraded the outlook on Britain’s triple-A rating to negative, the debate rages over whether to go for deficit reduction or for growth.

Or, ideally, both — although in November the Office for Budgetary Responsibility downgraded its growth forecast and simultaneously called for either another £15bn of annual spending cuts, or more tax increases, by 2016.

So, how do the tea leaves read for Oxfordshire?

We asked our MPs how they rated the importance of the manufacturing base in their constituencies, and also to assess the impact of either more cuts in public spending or tax rises in their particular patch.

Two Tory MPs, Ed Vaizey in Wantage and Dr John Howell in Henley, nominated companies related to Oxfordshire’s famous motorsport industries in their answers to the Associated Parliamentary Manufacturing Group’s survey.

Mr Vaizey nominated Williams F1 which employs more than 500 people at its Grove headquarters.

And Dr Howell, commenting on his nominated company, said: “Primary Designs manufactures specialist exhaust systems for Formula 1 teams and is based in Thame in my constituency.

“Having visited the business earlier in the month, I was extremely impressed with the technical detail that goes in to the production of these specialised exhausts.

“Primary Designs stood out for me due to their belief in apprenticeships and their loyalty to training young local people in this field and so having a direct effect on the local economy and the jobs market; something which I warmly welcome.”

The county’s only Labour MP, Andrew Smith in Oxford East, nominated the county’s top manufacturer, BMW’s Mini plant, which employs 3,700 people in Cowley.

He said: “It’s a fantastic car, an iconic British brand, and exported all around the world.”

He added: “The first new Mini rolled off its production line ten years ago in 2001 and since then more than 2m cars have been produced at the plant. More than £380m has been invested in facilities since 2000 and in 2011 BMW Group announced that a further £500m would be invested in its UK production sites, including Oxford, over the next three years.”

Nicola Blackwood, Tory MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, nominated two companies in the survey. Firstly the AWS 948, by Begbroke firm Solid State Logic. And secondly the IRmax gas detection system, designed and made in Abingdon by Crowcon Detection Instruments.

In the north of the county, Conservative MP for Banbury Tony Baldry nominated a product from Fortress Technology.

He said: “I think everyone, including the opposition, has agreed that public spending has seriously to be reduced if we are to achieve long-term economic stability.”

Mr Vaizey said: “I don’t think the issue for us is spending cuts or tax rises — what we need to focus on are the skills these businesses need, and infrastructure — road, rail and housing.”

Andrew Smith said: “Domestic consumer confidence and export prospects are crucial. The UK government should act both on its own and in conjunction with others to stimulate sustainable growth. Cutting employers’ national insurance contributions would be a good way of doing it.”

Dr Howell said that the Government’s plan for growth was coming to fruition, led to some extent by a reinvigorated manufacturing industry which is succeeding locally and on a national scale.

Here’s hoping he is right. Hold on to your hat.