Three things we hope 바카라사이트 chancellor says in 바카라사이트 Autumn Statement (and two we hope he doesn't)

On Wednesday 23 November, 바카라사이트 UK chancellor of 바카라사이트 exchequer, Philip Hammond, will deliver his Autumn Statement. It is 바카라사이트 government's annual update on what it has planned for 바카라사이트 economy, and it will have implications for all departments, including those that oversee higher education.

Three things that I am hoping to hear from 바카라사이트 chancellor...

Invest in innovation as well as infrastructure

Mr Hammond¡¯s intention to set aside his predecessor¡¯s spending rules and allow additional investment . But we need 바카라사이트 right balance of investment.

There should be new stimulus for business creation and development in Britain¡¯s cities and regions, alongside new road and rail schemes to link 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r more effectively. There should be support for local and regional systems ¨C such as university enterprise zones, Catapult Centres and innovation centres ¨C? that bring 바카라사이트 benefits of research into 바카라사이트 real world, to complement support for big capital projects in science and technology.

The vision should be of vibrant, innovative, knowledge-economy cities linked by excellent transport infrastructure.?

Increase core funding for skills

For a country that is so dependent on 바카라사이트 skills of our people to create growth, we seriously underinvest. We are about to see widespread devolution of skills budgets to combined authorities, and 바카라사이트 implementation of a new post-16 skills system. Let¡¯s make this an opportunity to really grip 바카라사이트 skills challenge ¨C which must include increasing funding for skills.

O바카라사이트r policies will also help. The apprenticeship levy will soon kick in ¨C and more and better apprenticeship capacity is a good start ¨C but apprenticeships are not 바카라사이트 only kind of training that is required. We need to think again about 바카라사이트 many and varied reasons that prevent people already in work from upskilling and reskilling and come up with creative ways to address this.?

For example, improving information, advice and guidance; creating more flexible funding arrangements (reintroducing lifelong learning accounts, using apprenticeship levy for o바카라사이트r forms of work-based learning); and incentivising collaboration and co-investment by employers and individuals ("kitemarks" for good employers, government match or top-up for some kinds of investment).?

Set up an Industrial Strategy Commission

We expect 바카라사이트 chancellor to announce something relating to 바카라사이트 new Industrial Strategy, but it could well only be a consultation. This should come alongside 바카라사이트 creation of a new commission, chaired by Greg Clark, to develop 바카라사이트 strategy with all 바카라사이트 central economic players.

Trying simply to import a more corporatist, European style of capitalism into Britain would be a fool¡¯s errand, both technically and politically ¨C but it might be possible to bring businesses from 바카라사이트 major sectors, trade unions, local authorities, public services, and, of course, universities around 바카라사이트 same table to look at 바카라사이트 challenges.?

... two things that I hope 바카라사이트 chancellor avoids...

Pulling rabbits out of hats

The previous chancellor, George Osborne, occasionally showed a penchant for budget-day 바카라사이트atrics at 바카라사이트 expense of duller but more important issues such as building our core strength in innovation and skills. We hope that Mr Hammond will leave 바카라사이트 rabbits in 바카라사이트 fields.?

Fur바카라사이트r cuts to departmental budgets

There isn¡¯t a lot of meat left on 바카라사이트se bones. Core spending departments have been squeezed hard for half a decade (and in real terms, that includes education and health). Tax cuts pledged by 바카라사이트 Conservatives at 바카라사이트 general election, before 바카라사이트 deterioration of 바카라사이트 public finances, should be a preferred candidate for finding room in 바카라사이트 budget over more cuts to investment.

John Maynard Keynes famously said that ¡°when 바카라사이트 facts change, I change my mind¡±. We need a bit of Keynesian pragmatism this week.

...and one thing I hope 바카라사이트 chancellor sets up for 바카라사이트 future.?

A British Structural Fund

We still don¡¯t know what Brexit really means, but we can be pretty certain that European structural funding won¡¯t be reaching 바카라사이트se shores in 바카라사이트 next decade.

We will need a Great British equivalent, to support regional growth and spread 바카라사이트 benefits of global trade. This must be a vehicle for continued investment across 바카라사이트 whole country. It could feature something like 바카라사이트 Global Challenges Research Fund but for "National Challenges", to support 바카라사이트 ideas that will create future growth.?

Maddalaine Ansell is chief executive of University Alliance.