Industrial Strategy

Rachael Maskell Excerpts

Thursday 12th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Liam Byrne]

This was an important area of debate when we were framing our recommendations. We felt that where mayoral areas could show ability—that might be a limited number—they might be much better able to understand the needs of business and to ensure that local technical colleges in particular provide the right kinds of skills and of qualifications. Sometimes we take too much of a central planning approach to the skills system, which means we are just not agile enough for the needs of employers today, and skills gaps therefore loom much too large.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

I thank the Chair for the report, particularly for the framing in which it lands the industrial strategy. From reading the report, I believe there could be greater emphasis on the convening role of higher education—universities—not just as a driver of R&D and skills, but for the industrial clusters in their locality. Does he agree that the strategy could be more focused on building on the role of higher education as a collaborator and a co-ordinator?

[Liam Byrne]

My hon. Friend is right. We have to be careful not to stray too far into the territory of our sister Committee, but once upon a time we built villages around factories; in today’s economy, we need to build local economies around universities. The role of universities in empowering economic change is something we will want to return to in the very near future.