Views gathered by D2N2 on proposed national Industrial Strategy

Opinions on a proposed national Industrial Strategy are being gathered by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership from businesses and organisations in its area, so it can better represent those views to Government.

The Government launched a UK-wide consultation on its green paper, the Building our Industrial Strategy report, at the end of last month (January). The 132 page report outlines ten key pillars – including skills building, upgrading infrastructure and investing in science – through which the Government is seeking to drive economic growth, and reduce regional variations in opportunities and prosperity. The Government’s 12 week consultation on the Strategy will end on Monday April 17.

D2N2 – the private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary services groups which promotes economic and jobs growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – and its D2N2 Growth Hub, which supports small and medium-sized enterprises, are independently consulting their own business networks to get their views on the proposed Industrial Strategy.

Senior D2N2 officers are using the LEP’s regular outside events and other activities as opportunities to assess businesses’ views on the draft Strategy’s contents.

Information on the ‘ten pillars’ and a link to a full version of the Building our Industrial Strategy report can be found on the D2N2 home page along with a short online survey.

The D2N2 consultation on the measures set out in the proposed national Industrial Strategy asks those surveyed to answer five main questions and to further explain their answers where necessary. The questions are:

• Does the Industrial Strategy green paper have the right areas of focus to make the UK a competitive place to do business?
• Are the priorities of the ten pillars appropriate to drive the D2N2 economy forward?
• Do we have the right structures to maximise our local strengths?
• Do you see any specific or unique opportunities in the D2N2 area to deliver within any of the ten pillars?
• Are there any specific asks from D2N2 which would significantly contribute to the Industrial Strategy that you think we should include?

Businesses and organisations have until the end of Sunday April 2 to take part in the D2N2 survey. All the views will then be used to form a D2N2 report to Government on what objectives businesses and others in its area think should be pursued through the national Industrial Strategy.

The Government’s own national consultation on its proposals will end on April 17. A white paper on the Strategy will be produced later in the year, which will be further consulted on before being considered by Parliament.

David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said:-

“Many of the ‘ten pillars’ listed in the Government’s new proposed Industrial Strategy are ones the D2N2 LEP has been supporting for some time, but the business and other communities in our area need to feel the national approach outlined will address this region’s needs.

“With our strong business networks and contacts across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and beyond D2N2 is well placed to collate area views on the Strategy proposals and make sure they are represented to Government, at the highest level.”