Industrial Strategy

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara Excerpts

Wednesday 19th July 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I fear that I may be giving the noble Lord almost the same answer, but there are two critical elements of the industrial strategy. One is technical skills, an area where, if we are honest, we admit that we have been struggling since the 1950s, and the second is to build on the extraordinary comparative advantage that we have in our universities.

[Lord Stevenson of Balmacara (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware of the independent Industrial Strategy Commission, which reported recently. It said that a key component of a successful and sustainable industrial strategy would be enhancing a state’s purchasing and regulating power. Does the Minister agree? Will he give some examples of where that might happen, including in such areas as diversity and apprenticeship training, which have been so lacking in recent years?

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

There is no doubt that government procurement is critical; for example, in the construction industry. For example, Crossrail has built into a number of its contracts requirements for apprenticeship training and for using new technologies and small businesses. There is no doubt that procurement can be extremely important.