It’s not just children who are home schooling and learning new lessons in this pandemic! Many of us, locked down in our homes, are learning to take nothing for granted. Already we know that there will be no V-shaped recovery and that yesterday's threatening digital technologies are now saving lives by enabling (some of us) to work together safely, productively, and remotely.
Working online with leading law firm Pinsent Masons, the Industry Forum meeting this week addressed the highly topical subject of ‘Incentivising Innovation in Life Sciences'. Daniel Zeichner MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Life Sciences kicked off the meeting and David Rosenberg, retired GSK Vice-President for Intellectual Property policy responded. The meeting was moderated by Nicole Jadeja, a life sciences partner in Pinsent Masons.
With representatives of many leading leading life sciences companies participating, ideas on improving IP laws were discussed as well as hopes for coordinated international actions to prepare better for future health emergencies. In Q&A the need for different funding and pricing models for different diseases and markets was discussed. The Industry Forum is researching this area for future meetings and would welcome industry input.

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Rachel Reeves MP, Chair of the powerful Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, delivered the closing keynote address at the ‘Road to Zero’ conference held in the German Embassy. Leading industry players from the UK and Germany and Baroness Brown, Deputy Chair of the Climate Change Committee, also spoke to the capacity audience. A sea change in business opinion was evident as speaker after speaker acknowledged the scale and urgency of the green house gas emissions problem. The consensus was that the surface transport industry is robustly preparing for the wrenching changes needed. Greater cooperation, policy consistency, and investment from governments are now essential. For the UK the first request to government was for more charging infrastructure and policies that will give consumers confidence to buy electric vehicles. The conference was organised by the Industry Forum working closely with a German Embassy team.

Speakers included:

Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Deputy Chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC)
Rachel Reeves MP, Chair of BEIS Select Committee

Konstanze Scharring, Director of Policy, SMMT
Mike Muldoon, Head of Business Development, Alstom
Chris Lockett, Technology Vice President, BP Plc
Karen Renshaw, Senior Associate for Public Policy, Uber

Christian Hochfeld, Berlin think-tank Agora Verkehrswende

Phil Killingley, Deputy Head, Office for Low Emission Vehicles, Department for Transport
Vera Scholz, Head of Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Division, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Peter Abson, Public Affairs & Policy Senior Manager, National Grid
Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre

Co-hosted by the German Embassy

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A stimulating first Industry Forum meeting of 2020 addressed the impossibly broad agenda of Prospects and Challenges for 2020 at FleishmanHillard this week. Andrew Smith, Economist, led on the UK economic outlook  and steps to an EU trade deal, followed by Bim Ofolami MP on possibilities for transformation of the UK’s trade and industry. Matt Houlihan gave a perspective on Brexit and trade prospects from CISCO the networking giant, and Dr Alan Whitehead MP focussed attention on the big issue of the decade, possibly the century, the climate emergency.

Speakers included:

Economic outlook – Andrew Smith, Chief Economic Adviser, Industry Forum

How UK trade and industry could be transformed – Bim Afolami MP

Brexit and business - Matt Houlihan - Director, Government Affairs, Cisco

Climate emergency – Dr Alan Whitehead MP, Shadow Energy and Climate Change Minister

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The UK has an enviable science and technology heritage and track record. Despite this, we invest less than most other advanced countries in R&D and frequently fail to gain the commercial benefits of our scientific discoveries. This situation has been made worse by a decade of slow growth and the multiple uncertainties caused by Brexit. The Labour party has a range of policies aimed at tackling these issues and thereby improving economic performance and the availability of high-quality jobs. Chi Onwurah MP, Shadow BEIS Minister for Industrial Strategy, will lead a roundtable to outline Labour policies and discuss how they can be practically and effectively delivered.

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Delivering a master class in understanding the complex issues of housing, Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Rt. Hon. John Healey MP, led a lunchtime Industry Forum briefing this week at the City HQ of NHBC. Topics covered included the benefits of a more proactive government approach and an overarching framework for housing planning, greater local government involvement in housing supply and allocation, the consumer rights of renters, land availability, energy conservation, and the potential impact of Brexit on the construction industry. There was general view about the need for more real dialogue between government and industry to tackle some of the long-term issues relating to housing which, if solved, would address serious social problems and also help the economy work more effectively. There was surprise that, despite Brexit, the large numbers of civil servants working in the housing area have not succeeded in making more progress, particularly on matters arising from the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

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Bringing a refreshing can-do approach to financial issues, Shadow Treasury Minister, Dr Anneliese Dodds MP, led a comprehensive Industry Forum breakfast briefing on Labour party plans for tackling long-standing UK productivity problems. Actions on investment, skills, and regional imbalances are essential but so too is a change in Treasury attitudes to a balanced dialogue with departments, and with the UK regions. Discussion ranged across funding for new infrastructure investment, a new National Investment Bank, public ownership, and employee share ownership. The meeting was held at the new offices of British Water and Lila Thompson, CEO of British Water, outlined the key features of the British Water Industry.

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