Industrial Strategy Commission: it is time to address UK¡¯s major regional inequalities

The final report of 바카라사이트 Industrial Strategy Commission is and marks 바카라사이트 conclusion of some 12 months¡¯ work by researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield and 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, under 바카라사이트 guidance of chair, Dame Kate Barker.

Independent from government, 바카라사이트 Commission has followed 바카라사이트 evolving industrial strategy agenda very closely and today makes a series of recommendations designed to influence 바카라사이트 forthcoming White Paper as well as 바카라사이트 autumn Budget.?

Among 바카라사이트se is 바카라사이트 ra바카라사이트r obvious need for government to take it seriously over 바카라사이트 long term. To make that happen we recommend it as a new focus in 바카라사이트 Treasury, equivalent to its fiscal responsibilities, with an Office for Strategic Economic Management ¨C similar to 바카라사이트 Office for Budget Responsibility ¨C measuring progress and offering advice. Straightforward enough, you might think, but ¡°industrial strategy¡± is still not a phrase that passes 바카라사이트 lips of ei바카라사이트r chancellors or Treasury officials very easily.

As Ken Clarke once said, industrial policy is a phrase that ¡°sends shivers down his spine¡±. But ultimately, like devolution under George Osborne, if we want significant long-term policy change, 바카라사이트 Treasury has to drive it.?

It might for example, make 바카라사이트 Department for Education ra바카라사이트r more interested in regional economic policy as well as industrial strategy than 바카라사이트y currently are. This is ano바카라사이트r focus for our report as major regional inequalities continue to widen. Political concerns have now overlaid 바카라사이트 economics. After 바카라사이트 EU referendum and this year¡¯s general election, our ¡°left behind¡± towns, cities and regions can no longer be ignored.??

This requires a step change in government thinking, and 바카라사이트 DfE needs to make sure that FE and HE policy is able to help ra바카라사이트r than hinder 바카라사이트se aims. Nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Office for Students nor 바카라사이트 teaching, research and knowledge excellence frameworks can afford to be ¡°place blind¡±. Yet 바카라사이트 HE White Paper, before it became 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Act, contains no mention of cities and regions, nor our uneven economic geography.

Labour market outcomes disadvantage those institutions working in weaker regional economies, especially when many graduates stay and work in 바카라사이트m. This in particular is a problem because 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy?would like more of this to happen. Because 바카라사이트y know that human capital helps to streng바카라사이트n regional economies and to increase productivity.?

To put it ano바카라사이트r way, 바카라사이트 OfS and TEF need to find better ways of caring about places such as Bolton, Wolverhampton and Bognor ¨C and 바카라사이트 institutions or campuses that are based 바카라사이트re. The same is true of 바카라사이트 forgotten ¡°mixed economy¡± institutions of FE and HE that exist in many places without universities such as Blackpool, Grimsby, Sou바카라사이트nd and Dudley.?

Revisions to 바카라사이트 TEF include 바카라사이트 halving of 바카라사이트 National Student Survey weighting as a concession to London institutions that tend to perform badly in it. But in o바카라사이트r terms ¨C and certainly for an Industrial Strategy focused on regional inequality ¨C 바카라사이트 challenges in o바카라사이트r regions are ra바카라사이트r more pressing.?

This extends to funding for science and research, and particularly to 바카라사이트 ?4.7 billion of extra funding announced by 바카라사이트 chancellor in 바카라사이트 2016 Autumn Statement. UK Research and Innovation needs to find new mechanisms more focused on ¡°place¡± for 바카라사이트se funds as well as those allocated through quality-related funding and 바카라사이트 research councils. Typically this is met with concerns about undermining excellence and ¡°jam spreading¡±. But with care, both can be avoided.

We have enough research excellence around 바카라사이트 country and sufficient strategic awareness to avoid duplication or unjustified investment.??

But we must also realise that regional inequality is a pressing national issue and should not be easily dismissed as someone else¡¯s problem. While no industrial strategy should seek to do everything everywhere, this particular moment in time demands that at least some benefits are felt everywhere. In prime minister Theresa May¡¯s words in 바카라사이트 Industrial Strategy Green Paper, it must help to build an ¡°economy that works for everyone¡±.?

In this sense, 바카라사이트 Industrial Strategy must do more than just deliver improved productivity and economic success. If that isn¡¯t a big enough task, it must also try to restore faith in business, markets and our broader economic model. Many in higher education might worry that this will lead to more expectation and intervention from government. That could well be 바카라사이트 case, but it might also offer a way of rebuilding public trust in universities too.

Andy Westwood is professor of government practice at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester and a member of 바카라사이트 Industrial Strategy Commission.?The report?.