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.
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24
Recommendations
8
Conclusions
1
Report
8
Oral sessions
18
Letters
8
Events
Activity timeline 36 events
22 May
2026
2026
20 May
2026
2026
19 May
2026
2026
19 May
2026
2026
19 May
2026
2026
19 May
2026
2026
19 May
2026
2026
28 Apr
2026
2026
Oral evidence
28 Apr
2026
2026
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
15 Apr
2026
2026
12 Sep
2025
2025
Report published
Oral evidence sessions 8 sessions
28 Apr 2026
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7th Report - Industrial Strategy | HC 727 | 6 Jun 2025 | 32 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
8
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Develop trade strategy with industrial strategy and publish plan to remove export barriers.
We recommend that the Government develops its forthcoming trade strategy with the industrial strategy and makes sure that it enables the 8 growth-driving sectors to grow exports, including in the food and drink sector. We also recommend that the Government …
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Government Response
The government states the Trade and Industrial Strategies were developed together to support growth sectors with direct export support, including new legislation for UK Export Finance and a "Ricardo Fund" for removing trade barriers. However, it does not commit to publishing a separate 10-year plan for tackling non-tariff barriers.
Department for Business and Trade
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12
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Provide multi-year framework contracts for SMEs; set direct public procurement spend target.
To support SMEs to innovate and to continue to grow, we recommend that multi-year framework contracts are available for SMEs in the sectors in which the state is the biggest customer, such as defence and life sciences. We also recommend …
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Government Response
The government states that the Procurement Act (2023) requires central government departments to set 3-year targets for direct spend with SMEs from April 2025, and MOD has committed to increasing defence spending with SMEs by £2.5 billion by May 2028. However, the response does not specifically address the recommendation for multi-year framework contracts for SMEs.
Department for Business and Trade
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14
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Complex public finance institutions would benefit from a single access point for businesses.
The UK has a complex system of public finance institutions. We accept that different businesses, depending on where they are on their journey, will need different types of financial support. However, our view is that there would be merit in …
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Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of public finance and commits to strengthening coordination across public finance institutions via a new UK Strategic Public Investment Forum. This Forum will bring together key bodies to improve clarity for businesses and investors and facilitate investment in Industrial Strategy sectors.
Department for Business and Trade
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15
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Consolidate public finance institutions into a single body to simplify business support.
We recommend, in line with the Harrington review, that the Government should consolidate the public finance institutions, especially the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank, preferably into a single body to simplify the system for business and investors …
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Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of public finance but does not commit to consolidating public finance institutions into a single body. Instead, it commits to strengthening coordination and clarity through a new UK Strategic Public Investment Forum.
Department for Business and Trade
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24
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Commission and publish analysis of skills gaps across eight growth-driving sectors.
We recommend that: • Skills England commission and publish an analysis of the skills gaps across the eight growth-driving sectors and report to Parliament within six months. This should include an estimate of the current and future skills gaps across …
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Government Response
The government refers to Skills England's ongoing assessments of skills needs, partially addressing the recommendation for analysis. It outlines how the English Devolution White Paper will strengthen local leadership in skills and states a commitment to exploring further devolution, but does not address the recommendations to transfer skills policy responsibility to the Department for Business and Trade or create a joint ministerial role for the Minister for Skills.
Department for Business and Trade
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26
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
7th Report - Industrial Strategy
Review UK public research and innovation institutions for industrial strategy alignment and commercialisation.
We recommend that the Department for Business & Trade and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology now conduct a review of the UK’s public research and innovation institutions to ensure they are in alignment with the industrial strategy and that …
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Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for alignment and leadership in R&D, stating it will give UKRI new objectives to enable innovation and commercialisation, and ensure the Catapult Network is focused on industrial strategy priorities. However, it does not commit to conducting the recommended comprehensive review of institutions or examining lessons from other countries.
Department for Business and Trade
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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
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
19 May 2026
From committee
Letter to the Secretary of State relating to the Industrial Strategy Bill, 29 April 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