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| UK Government's Industrial Strategy | |
|---|---|
| Name | UK Industrial Strategy |
| Jurisdiction | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 2017 |
| Minister | Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy |
| Status | superseded (partially) |
UK Government's Industrial Strategy
The Industrial Strategy was a United Kingdom policy framework launched to coordinate national economic planning across sectors, regions, and institutions. It aimed to align priorities across ministries such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, public agencies including Innovate UK and UK Research and Innovation, and stakeholders like CBI and Confederation of British Industry to boost productivity, skills and investment. The strategy engaged actors ranging from the Treasury and HM Treasury to devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and interfaced with international partners including the European Investment Bank and World Trade Organization.
The Industrial Strategy emerged in the aftermath of events such as the 2008 financial crisis, the Great Recession, and the political shock of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. It drew on models from the Britten-Norman era of industrial coordination and debates influenced by reports like the Porter hypothesis discussions and the Leitch Review of Skills lineage. Development involved commissions and consultations with institutions such as House of Commons, House of Lords, National Audit Office, think tanks including the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Resolution Foundation, Centre for Economic Performance, Policy Exchange, and IPPR. Prominent figures involved in shaping and defending the approach included ministers from Theresa May’s cabinet, chairs from Sir Mark Walport’s advisory groups, and senior officials from Graham Brady’s committees. Policy formation referenced international comparators like Germany, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and programmes from the United States Department of Commerce and European Commission.
The strategy articulated objectives including long-term productivity growth, regional rebalancing, high-value manufacturing, and strategic investment in research and development. Pillars were framed as missions: investing in science, improving skills and technical education, upgrading infrastructure, fostering business environment improvements, and supporting places. It sought to coordinate institutions such as Research Councils UK and Higher Education Funding Council for England, workforce initiatives linked to Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, investment vehicles like the British Business Bank and partnerships with bodies such as Local Enterprise Partnerships, Mayoral Combined Authorities, and Greater London Authority.
Implementation combined fiscal instruments administered by HM Treasury, regulatory reform via the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and procurement strategies using agencies like Crown Commercial Service. Financial tools included the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, capital programmes coordinated with UK Infrastructure Bank, tax incentives analogous to Research and Development tax credit schemes, and procurement leveraging NHS England and Ministry of Defence. Delivery partners included Innovate UK, Catapult Centres network, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, university actors including University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and private sector anchor firms such as Rolls-Royce plc, BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline, BP, Shell plc and Jaguar Land Rover. Cross-government bodies such as the Industrial Strategy Council and advisory groups convened actors from City of London Corporation and trade unions like Trades Union Congress.
Sector-specific plans targeted pharmaceuticals, automotive, aerospace, digital technologies, and clean energy. Programs referenced clusters such as Silicon Fen, the Aerospace Valley, and manufacturing hubs in South Yorkshire and West Midlands Combined Authority. Regional initiatives linked to devolution settlements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland and city-region strategies in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and Glasgow City Region. International trade and inward investment strategies coordinated with Department for International Trade and export promotion through UK Export Finance and bilateral dialogues with markets including China, United States, India, and members of the G7 and G20.
Critiques arose from academics at London School of Economics, Oxford Martin School, and King's College London arguing the strategy lacked coherence, measurable targets, and sufficient funding. Opposition voices in Labour Party, Scottish National Party, and pressure groups like Friends of the Earth highlighted perceived gaps on industrial decarbonisation, social equity, and regional inequality. Controversies included debates over procurement rules involving firms such as Amazon (company), state aid concerns with the European Commission prior to Brexit, and disputes over governance transparency raised by the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee.
Measured impacts were mixed: investment in R&D rose in nominal terms with participation by universities like University College London, but productivity differentials persisted across regions such as North East England and South East England. Evaluations by bodies including Office for National Statistics and Office for Budget Responsibility noted challenges in attribution, with macroeconomic shocks from events like the COVID-19 pandemic and global financial instability complicating assessment. Employment shifts occurred across sectors, with retraining initiatives partnering with UnionLearn and industry bodies such as Confederation of British Industry and Make UK.
Parts of the strategy were retained, adapted, or superseded by later frameworks under successive Cabinets including those led by Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, and institutional successors such as the Net Zero agenda, the UK Innovation Strategy, and the Levelling Up White Paper. New funding vehicles and governance arrangements continued under entities like the UK Infrastructure Bank and renewed missions with alignment to multilateral forums such as the United Nations and OECD. Debates originating in the strategy influenced later legislation and programmes involving Industrial Strategy Council successors, trade policy with World Trade Organization negotiations, and regional development initiatives in devolved and city-regional institutions.
Category:United Kingdom public policy