Industrial Strategy

Business and Trade Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 28 Jan 2025 Parliament page
Our first industrial strategy inquiry will take a comprehensive look at the Government's proposals for a 10-year modern industrial strategy, as set out in Invest 2035. We will scrutinise the proposals in the Government’s Green Paper, and its forthcoming White Paper, and make recommendations for the Comprehensive Spending Review. Read more
24 Recommendations
8 Conclusions
1 Report
8 Oral sessions
18 Letters
8 Events
Activity timeline 36 events
22 May
2026
Correspondence
20 May
2026
Correspondence
19 May
2026
Correspondence
19 May
2026
Correspondence
19 May
2026
Correspondence
19 May
2026
Correspondence
19 May
2026
Correspondence
28 Apr
2026
Oral evidence
28 Apr
2026
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
15 Apr
2026
Correspondence
12 Sep
2025
Report published
8 Sep
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 8 sessions
28 Apr 2026
View on parliament.uk
Adam Berman · Energy UK Arjan Geveke · Energy Intensive Users Group Dame Clare Barclay DBE · Industrial Strategy Advisory Council David Whitehouse · OEUK Kate Bell · Trade Union Congress (TUC) Leonie Lambert · Department for Business and Trade Lisa Brankin · Ford of Britain and Ireland Matthew Ogg · Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Murray Paul · Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Rick Jennings · Tata Chemicals Europe Group Rt Hon Greg Clark · Industrial Strategy Advisory Council
13 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Andrew Forzani · Cabinet Office Andrew New · NHS Supply Chain Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP · Department for Business and Trade The Baroness Gustafsson CBE · HM Treasury The Lord Livermore · HM Treasury The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Malvern · Department of Education
29 Apr 2025
View on parliament.uk
Andy Burnham · Greater Manchester Combined Authority Howard Dawber · Greater London Authority John Flint · National Wealth Fund John Godfrey · TheCityUK Kim McGuinness · North East Combined Authority Kitty Ussher · Barclays Louis Taylor · British Business Bank Matt Clifford CBE · Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) Mike Biddle · Innovate UK (UKRI) Professor Ben Morgan · Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Stian Westlake · Economic and Social Research Council, UKRI
22 Apr 2025
View on parliament.uk
Alan Johnson · Nissan AMEIO Alistair McGirr · SSE Brian Holliday · Siemens UK Louise Kingham CBE · BP plc Markus Grüneisl · BMW (UK) Manufacturing Ltd Mike Hawes · Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Professor David Greenwood · Warwick Manufacturing Group Rob Salter-Church · National Grid Electricity Transmission Rob Salter-Church · National Grid Stephen Phipson CBE · Make UK Steve Turner · Unite the Union
26 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Barnaby Kistruck OBE · Ministry of Defence Neil Johnson · Department for Business and Trade Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP · Ministry of Defence Sarah Jones MP · Department for Business and Trade
18 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Alasdair McDiarmid · Community Allan Bell · British Steel Chris Daniels · Flare Bright Jon Bolton · Materials Processing Institute Mr Adam Forgiel-Jenkins · BAE Systems Oriel Petry · Airbus Oriel Petry · Airbus UK Professor John Howie MBE · Babcock International Rajesh Nair · Tata Steel UK Shaun Grady · AstraZeneca UK Tom Keith-Roach · AstraZeneca plc
4 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Anthony Walker · Tech UK Audrey Yvernault · GSK Miles Celic · TheCityUK Paul Morris · Vodafone Peter Stephens · ARM Ramon Kaur · EY UK Sir John Bell · Ellison Institute of Technology Stevan Randjelovic · WPP Steve Bates OBE · The BioIndustry Association Steve Brierley · Riverlane
11 Feb 2025
View on parliament.uk
Clare Barclay · Industrial Strategy Advisory Council Jordan Cummins · Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Kate Bell · Trade Union Congress (TUC) Professor Diane Coyle · University of Cambridge Professor Mariana Mazzucato · University College London (UCL) Sir Charlie Mayfield · Be the Business
Title HC No. Published Items Response
7th Report - Industrial Strategy HC 727 6 Jun 2025 32 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
17 results
Clear
1 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Build an active partnership between government, business, and unions for industrial strategy delivery
We welcome the Government’s proposals to bring forward a modern, 10-year industrial strategy that provides businesses and investors with certainty, stability and a solid foundation upon which to invest and grow. A more active partnership between Government, business, trade unions … Read more
Government Response
The government states it published the modern Industrial Strategy in June 2025, outlining a 10-year plan to back eight high-potential sectors and frontier industries, with specific targets for business investment and growth across various sectors.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
3 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Clarify how industrial strategy balances growth, net zero, economic security, and regional objectives
The industrial strategy must clarify how the Government plans to balance any tensions between maximising the headline rate of growth, supporting new sectors and existing jobs in industry, and achieving its net zero, economic security and regional growth objectives. (Recommendation, … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation by clarifying that the Industrial Strategy balances tensions by selecting priority sectors and frontier industries based on a multi-indicator assessment that ensures alignment with growth, net zero, economic security, and regional growth objectives.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
4 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Establish robust framework with clear targets and metrics for industrial strategy and sector plans
We recognise that ‘what gets measured gets managed’. The forthcoming industrial strategy and sector plans must set out how their economic contribution to the Growth Mission and the Government’s strategic objectives will be measured. To track the progress of the … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the need for clear measures and confirms the Industrial Strategy already includes a robust Monitoring and Evaluation framework overseen by the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, which will report annually. Six economic indicator metrics have been set, and Sector Plans include varying targets to track progress.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
5 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Supplement industrial strategy with a clearer vision for leveraging societal challenges for economic benefit
We recognise that the UK needs to prioritise and play to its strengths if it is going to move the dial on growth. We support the Government’s decision to focus the industrial strategy on sectors of the economy where the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation by articulating a vision for the industrial strategy to help the UK seize opportunities from global societal challenges, specifically mentioning the clean energy transition, tech revolution, AI, and new geopolitics.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
7 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Align industrial and trade strategies to maximise growth opportunities for focus sectors
In a rapidly developing and uncertain global trade environment and with an ongoing pipeline of trade negotiations, it is crucial that the industrial strategy and trade strategy are closely aligned. Having chosen eight growth-driving sectors as the focus of the … Read more
Government Response
The government states the Trade and Industrial Strategies were developed together and will provide direct support to businesses, including through information, commercial diplomacy, tailored export finance, international marketing, new legislation to increase UK Export Finance's portfolio, and a new "Ricardo Fund" to help regulators remove trade barriers.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
9 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Provide clear framework for DBT overseas teams to support priority sector export opportunities.
We recommend that Department for Business and Trade teams based abroad are given a clear framework, which they report to Parliament, for how they can support export opportunities for each of the growth driving sectors, in the most important UK … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to refocusing the overseas network on Industrial Strategy growth sectors, directing officials, prioritising resources, developing promotional campaigns, and empowering Ambassadors and Trade Commissioners to develop new strategic plans for supporting these sectors in major markets.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
16 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Industrial strategy must unlock finance to prevent UK startups from leaving for other countries.
The industrial strategy needs to provide ways to unlock finance that allows UK startups, spinouts and other firms to commercialise to scale-up and commercialise their innovations in the UK. Far too many promising companies are leaving for the US and … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the conclusion and outlines specific measures to unlock finance, including increasing the British Business Bank's capacity and committing an additional £4 billion for IS8 investment, expanding the National Wealth Fund's mandate, and strengthening UK Export Finance's offer with an additional £3 billion in lending capacity.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
17 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Increase British Business Bank support to help UK firms scale-up and commercialise innovation.
The industrial strategy must set out measures that will be used to help firms access the funding they need to scale-up and commercialise in the UK. As an initial step, we recommend that the Government increase the amount of support … Read more
Government Response
The government states its Industrial Strategy outlines measures to help firms access funding through Public Financial Institutions, including increasing the British Business Bank's total financial capacity to £25.6 billion and committing an additional £4 billion for investment in IS8 sectors.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
18 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Create an Office for Investment team to develop regional investment prospectuses in priority sectors.
We welcome the Government’s plans to expand the Office for Investment. To help drive strategic investments across the country, we recommend that a reformed and expanded Office for Investment should be build a team to work with Mayoral Combined Authorities … Read more
Government Response
The government has launched a new Strategic Investment Opportunities unit within the reformed Office for Investment. This unit will work with Mayoral Strategic Authorities to identify, shape, and deliver strategic investment opportunities, focusing on areas prioritised in the Industrial Strategy.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
20 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Provide clarity on public expenditure for industrial strategy and Growth Mission through Spending Review.
We recommend that through the Spending Review the Government provides clarity about the sum of public expenditure that will be allocated to the industrial strategy and the wider Growth Mission over the remainder of this Parliament. (Recommendation, Paragraph 91) Pro-business … Read more
Government Response
The government provides clarity on public expenditure, detailing billions in investments allocated to the Industrial Strategy and wider Growth Mission, including £4 billion for the British Business Bank, £4.3 billion for Advanced Manufacturing, and significant funding for transport, housing, nuclear energy, and R&D.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
21 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
High electricity prices deter investment and hinder UK industrial competitiveness.
High electricity prices in the UK are deterring investment and hurting the ability of UK industries to compete internationally and decarbonise. (Conclusion, Paragraph 101)
Government Response
The government details several measures to address high electricity prices, including increasing the Network Charging Compensation scheme uplift from 60% to 90% from 2026, introducing a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme from 2027 to reduce electricity costs, and reviewing the existing Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
22 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Include measures in industrial strategy to level industrial energy prices for key sectors.
We recommend that the industrial strategy must include measures that level the playing field with our international competitors on industrial energy prices. Priority should be given to leading sectors, and other foundational industries, in which high energy prices have the … Read more
Government Response
The government has accepted the recommendation, announcing an uplift of the Network Charging Compensation scheme from 60% to 90% from 2026 and a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme from 2027 to reduce electricity costs for energy-intensive industries.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
23 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Skills shortages and fragmented system deter growth and investment across UK economy.
Skills shortages are holding back growth and deterring investment across large parts of the economy, including within the UK’s growth-driving sectors. The skills system is too fragmented and inflexible. The needs of employers must be at the centre of the … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the conclusion by outlining how Skills England will address skills needs through data-driven assessments and co-creation of training, and how the English Devolution White Paper strengthens the role of Mayors and Strategic Authorities in local skills planning to meet employer needs.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
25 Conclusion Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Government struggles to commercialise innovations due to complex RDI institutional landscape.
The UK has strengths in research, development and innovation (RDI) but the Government struggles to effectively support companies, including startups and scale-ups, to commercialise their innovations domestically. We have heard that the UK has a complicated landscape of institutions to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of aligning R&D with industrial strategy, stating it will give UKRI new objectives to ensure clear institutional leadership for innovation, commercialisation, and scale-up, and will ensure the Catapult Network focuses on industrial strategy priorities.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
27 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Provide further support in Spending Review to substantially scale-up Made Smarter programme.
We welcome the further support the Government has provided for the Made Smarter programme this year. We recommend that the Government provide further support in the Spending Review to substantially scale-up the programme. (Recommendation, Paragraph 114) Governance, oversight and accountability Read more
Government Response
The government has committed to expanding the Made Smarter Adoption programme with £99 million from 2026 to support an additional 5,500 manufacturing businesses and will also expand the model to the Professional and Business Services sector.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
30 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Government's industrial strategy commitments require translation into concrete action for success.
The Government has sent a positive message in their commitment to cross- departmental co-ordination, engagement with regional leadership, and announcement of an Industrial Strategy Council. However, if the industrial strategy is to be successful, this needs to be translated into … Read more
Government Response
The government commits to putting the Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing via an upcoming IS Bill, with clearly defined duties and functions, and ensuring continued engagement with Mayors.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
31 Recommendation Accepted
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Establish the Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing with regular mayoral meetings.
First, and as a priority, we recommend that the Government introduces legislation to put the Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing, alongside the publication of the industrial strategy. We also recommend that the Industrial Strategy Council meets with Combined … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees to put the Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing through an Industrial Strategy Bill, which will include defined duties, functions, and data access. They also stated the Council has met with Mayors and will continue to engage with them as key stakeholders.
Department for Business and Trade
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 32 of 24 classified
Accepted 17
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 2
Total 24 recs + 8 conclusions
Correspondence 18 letters
22 May 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State relating to the UK's steel trade measures, 22 May 2026
Parliament page
20 May 2026 From committee Letter to the Minister for Small Businesses and Economic Transformation and the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation relating to the automotive sector, 20 May 2026
Parliament page
19 May 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State relating to the Industrial Strategy Bill, 29 April 2026
Parliament page
19 May 2026 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State relating to the introduction of the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill, 13 May 2026
Parliament page
19 May 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation relating to the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, 11 May 2026
Parliament page
19 May 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister for Industry relating to the Government's intention to legislate for the Steel Sector, 11 May 2026
Parliament page
19 May 2026 To committee Letter from Ford of Britain relating to strategic recommendations for the Industrial Strategy, 7 May 2026
Parliament page
15 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State relating to an announcement on the Government's Industrial Strategy, 8 April 2026
Parliament page
8 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade and for Defence relating to the Defence Industrial Strategy, 4 September 2025
Parliament page
15 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Industry relating to Government support for the UK automotive sector, 30 June 2025
Parliament page
1 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State relating to the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, 23 June 2025
Parliament page
19 Jun 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretaries of State for Business and Trade and Defence relating to the Defence Industrial Strategy, 18 June 2025
Parliament page
10 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from NHS Supply Chain relating to the Industrial Strategy Inquiry, 4 June 2025
Parliament page
20 May 2025 To committee Letter from BP to BTC and ESNZ committees relating to questions from evidence session, 8 May 2025
Parliament page
29 Apr 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State relating to the Government response to the US tariffs on the automotive sector, 29 April 2025
Parliament page
22 Apr 2025 To committee Letter from AstraZeneca relating to Industrial strategy and life sciences, 28 March 2025
Parliament page
1 Apr 2025 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade relating to a plan for Steel, 1 April 2025
Parliament page
25 Mar 2025 To committee Letter from GSK relating to life sciences and industrial strategy, 14 March 2025
Parliament page