Speeches by Bance.

“What about skills?”

“Mr Randjelovic, would you like to comment on the points about barriers to growth? You have already said a little. Is there more you would like to add?”

“We have spoken a little about some of the domestic barriers to growth, but I wondered if you would perhaps like to expand on what you see as the factors that may be holding back growth here in the UK.”

“Following up on two of those points, first, do we have the balance between risk and innovation in AI correct? We may be straying into the domain of other Committees there. It is a shame Chi is not here, but I know that that is part of your expertise, and I would appreciate your thoughts on it. When it comes to skills, …”

“Ending with you, Mr Walker, how optimistic are you about the Government’s ability to deliver the industrial strategy? An obsession of this Committee is whether Government Departments can work together effectively, so I would appreciate any comments on where you think the difficulties and the tensions might be.”

“Turning to the Government’s industrial strategy, it highlights eight priority sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, the defence industry, digital and tech, finance, life sciences, and professional and business services. What trade policy adjustments do we need to enhance the UK’s competiti…”

“My hon. Friend is eloquent in setting out the skills challenges of the Black Country. My constituency neighbours hers, and locally 40% of jobs need level 4 skills, but only 16% of people have those skills. That is the challenge we face locally. Does she agree that Skills England should be set up and based in an area of…”

“We have obviously heard about how the UK CBAM is going to be important in preventing carbon leakage, but I would be interested in your views about how it needs to be designed to avoid harming UK producers. I will start with Frank, who I know has many views from UK Steel on this.”

“Of course, some might say that there are also some worries about the timescale. I had a response to a letter from the Treasury yesterday about the CBAM, which said that the EU CBAM cost will be minimal in 2026. I would appreciate your thoughts on that.”

“Turning now to Eric, it has been a while since I was at the AFL-CIO. It is lovely to have you here, Eric. Would a provision like the US’s rapid response mechanism be an effective way to uphold labour rights in these FTAs?”

“I would like to draw the Committee’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Interests as a former staff member of the TUC. The new Government have not yet updated the negotiating mandates for existing free trade agreements to improve labour standards. Should we be worried about this?”

“In exporting the products of our advanced manufacturing industry—forgive me—we should be exporting them to Canada, New Zealand and Australia.”

“The Minister has set out how we delivered £2 billion-worth of support for the automotive sector in the Budget. That support is both for manufacturing and for the crucial supply chains in places such as my Black Country constituency and Oxford. Is she able to set out any further details about how that money will be used…”

“I would like to draw the Committee’s attention to my declaration of interests in the register. The Government’s Green Paper was published last October. What feedback have you had from your members about the Government’s proposals?”

“Will you take wider considerations into account alongside growth? Both Luton and Grangemouth are depressed areas where there will be a significant number of jobs losses. Obviously, there is a national mission around growth, but seeing the place-based dimension of some decisions that are made to invest or not to invest …”

“I was glad to hear you mention manufacturing in the midlands, which is a subject very close to the heart of a number of us on the Committee as midlands MPs. Many people would say that an industrial strategy would normally focus on industry, rather than the wider set of services industries. Do you think you have the rig…”

“I am very glad you have an eye on Birmingham and the Black Country.”

“We are all looking towards the spending review expected in June. What scale of funding should this Government dedicate towards driving the industrial strategy?”

“I was interested in what you had to say about cross-departmental working in previous industrial strategies. As we went around the country during our fact-finding to set the agenda for this Committee, it was precisely that cross-departmental working and join-up that was flagged time and again to us by the businesses and…”

“In the course of this inquiry and our parallel inquiry into the Employment Rights Bill, we have heard that many businesses want joined-up regulation and, in some cases, less regulation. Is it your job to deliver less regulation?”