The abolition of BIS and DECC - what happens next?
On Friday, plans were announced to replace BIS and DECC with a new UK government department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Paul Davies, Head of Policy at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, offered the following comment:
“The main priority for this new Government department – as well as giving welcome prominence on the need for an industrial strategy – must be to ensure clear lines of responsibility and accountability for meeting both the UK’s energy needs and fulfilling our industrial and innovation potential as a nation.
“We have long been calling for consistent, long-term government policies for both energy and manufacturing – so this is a golden opportunity to do just that. Effective policies are the key to solving the challenges of the energy trilemma, decarbonisation; security of supply and affordability, and to ensuring the manufacturing sector continues to go from strength to strength. UK manufacturing is growing at the fastest rate for a generation, so we must act now to maintain the momentum.
“The big question mark is skills. Lack of skills continues to threaten all UK engineering, including the manufacturing and energy sectors, so it’s vital that in moving responsibility for the skills agenda to the Department of Education we don’t create a bigger gulf between education and industry.”