As I write, we eagerly await the King’s Speech and my fingers are crossed that it’s one that will support business and business growth. There have been far too many impediments to growth over the past five-plus years and this could be an opportunity to start to turn things around, show signs of positivity and inspire confidence that will restore us to a much-needed growth trajectory.
As a Chamber Network, we have set out five key asks from the government in the King’s Speech:
- A Skills Bill that helps businesses and workers, and establishes Local Skills Improvement Plans as integral for the long term
- A Trade and Customs Bill which gives confidence to businesses and prepares for the digital trade expansion ahead
- A consideration of how SMEs can benefit from wider technology adoption
- A legal framework to enable the transformation of the national grid
- A Planning Bill for England that gives more attention to business needs in the development management and plan-making process
These asks underline the British Chambers of Commerce’s key challenges for the future – People and Work, Global Britain, Digital Revolution, Green Innovation and Local Economy of the Future.
If we are going to see growth, then we need access to people, and this has been a challenge for some time now. The work the Chambers are doing via the LSIPS has identified a lack of skilled people, or in some cases, a workforce which, generally, is holding back growth
and investment.
Working alongside the FE Colleges, the LSIPS are starting to make headway into the current and future skills needs, and projects are already underway to address shortages. With a potential change of government on the horizon, I do hope that they look closely at the work that has been carried out and continue to support and invest in LSIPS. LSIPS are business-led and business has spoken loud and clear on what they need to grow, so let’s hope the voices that will take this country forward are not ignored.
There are so many asks at the moment, but the key five will be paramount if we are to once again show what a powerhouse business in the UK can be and a place that is seen as a place to invest.
Having worked for the Chamber for over 30 years, 15 of these as CEO, I will be retiring at the end of the year, so this will be my last column and quite fitting, it’s a push on skills. It feels that throughout my career with the Chamber, skills have always been at the top of the agenda, but it is a nut that we have never been able to crack. I do hope that in another 30 years, people still aren’t sitting around
a table somewhere, talking about skills shortages!
Without businesses creating investment and economic growth, there is no return to the exchequer, so my final plea to the government would be: please listen to the voice of business – we know what we are talking about and we know what we need to grow. Just work with us to provide an environment that is conducive to business growth and enterprise.
