First Report - Post-pandemic economic growth: Industrial policy in the UK

The government provides a detailed overview of its Plan for Growth and strategic objectives across infrastructure, skills, and innovation, but completely ignores the committee's concern regarding the abolition of the Industrial Strategy Council and the necessity of independent oversight.

The government's response discusses the precedent of not sharing NERT meeting information, failing to address the committee's concern about the abolition of the Industrial Strategy Council and the need for independent scrutiny.

The government's response addresses the precedent of not publishing NERT meeting minutes, but it does not address the recommendation to ensure alternative effective scrutiny for industrial policy after the Industrial Strategy Council's abolition.

The government states there has been no change in government machinery or departmental responsibilities, completely failing to clarify how devolved governments will be involved in future policies or how lessons from past engagement will be implemented.

The government's response clarifies departmental responsibilities, but it does not address the recommendation to develop the Plan for Growth in co-production with regional and local leaders in England.

The government describes the core programmes of the 2017 Industrial Strategy and states that ongoing aspects will continue or evolve as part of the Plan for Growth, but does not address the conclusion regarding the strategy's perceived lack of clear purpose.

The government describes the ongoing delivery of programs from the 2017 Industrial Strategy but does not address the committee's concern about the lack of specific mission-based structures or formal sectoral engagement mechanisms in the new Plan for Growth.

The government describes the previous Industrial Strategy and states that ongoing aspects will continue, with some policies evolving as part of the Plan for Growth, but does not commit to specific actions to ensure future policy is easily understood at the grassroots.

The government acknowledges the importance of working collaboratively with stakeholders, but does not address the conclusion about maintaining the sectoral approach or the specific need for clear measures of success and failure for sector deals.

The government response consists only of a report title and page number, providing no substantive engagement with the recommendation.

The government gives a generic response stating its agreement that policies should support the whole economy and all parts of the UK, which does not address the committee's specific concern about the uncertain future status of local industrial strategies.

The government describes its general approach to sectoral policy, balancing horizontal and vertical interventions within the Plan for Growth, but does not clarify the future structure or form of local growth plans or their role as a focal point.

The government explains its balanced approach to horizontal and vertical sectoral policies under the Plan for Growth, but does not address the concern regarding the absence of mechanisms for co-creation and local insights to inform national policy.

The government's response details existing COVID-19 support packages but does not address the committee's observation regarding the Advanced Research and Invention Agency's potential to drive innovation and public-private collaboration.

The government's response discusses support packages for businesses during Covid-19, which is entirely unrelated to the committee's concerns about the focus and function of ARIA.

The government generically recognises sectors undergoing rapid change but does not commit to publishing an overview of its relationship with industry, principles for SMEs, or Treasury plans for modernising procurement rules.

The government's response provides a generic statement about sectors undergoing rapid change and does not address the comprehensive recommendation for an updated industrial policy statement or specific commitments.