Select Committee · Business and Trade Committee

The Semiconductor Industry in the UK

Status: Closed Opened: 25 May 2022 Closed: 26 May 2023 11 recommendations 5 conclusions 2 reports

This inquiry will examine the strengths and weaknesses of the semiconductor industry and its supply chain in the UK. Semiconductor materials are essential in electronics and are used in computer chips in everything from fridge freezers to airliners. The new inquiry comes amidst an ongoing global shortage of semiconductors that has caused widespread disruption to …

Reports

2 reports

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Sixth Report - The semiconductor industry in the UK: the Go…	HC 1115	3 Feb 2023	2	Overdue
Fifth Report - The semiconductor industry in the UK	HC 291	28 Nov 2022	14	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items

9 Recommendation Fifth Report - The semiconductor indust… Accepted in Part

We recommend that the forthcoming Semiconductor Strategy should include: • An analysis of the semiconductor...

We recommend that the forthcoming Semiconductor Strategy should include: • An analysis of the semiconductor production and supply chain, recognising different characteristics for different subsectors of the industry, and areas of strength and weakness; • A heatmap, showing where different semiconductor industries and niches are located within the UK, and …

Government response. The government will publish semiconductor resilience guidance, undertake crisis and contingency planning exercises, work with external suppliers, and evaluate the UK’s future domestic semiconductor manufacturing needs as part of a commissioned research project, falling short of the comprehensive analysis and …

Department for Business and Trade

10 Recommendation Fifth Report - The semiconductor indust… Accepted in Part

We recommend that the Government’s Semiconductor Strategy consider scope for development of the UK semiconductor...

We recommend that the Government’s Semiconductor Strategy consider scope for development of the UK semiconductor industry in the following fields: • Intellectual property and design; • Supporting the design chain for leading edge node chips; • Matching UK manufacturing capability to UK design capability; • Developing manufacturing processes for silicon …

Government response. The government aims to double down on areas of UK expertise, maintain its lead in chip design and IP, and build a foothold in future semiconductor technologies, but does not commit to all the fields suggested in the recommendation, specifically …

Department for Business and Trade

12 Recommendation Fifth Report - The semiconductor indust… Accepted in Part

The Government must not overlook the semiconductor industry.

The Government must not overlook the semiconductor industry. Whilst we recognise the difficult fiscal picture in the UK, we call on Ministers to set up a new sector deal as the vehicle to work with industry to agree UK priorities and the best use of any public funds or support. …

Government response. The government is reviewing its approach to supporting the growth of technology companies, including in the semiconductors sector, and will build on existing R&D spending through a commitment to up to £200 million in funding for research and development across …

Department for Business and Trade

Oral evidence sessions

2 sessions

Date	Witnesses
5 Jul 2022	Americo Lemos · IQE plc, Dr Andrew Rickman · Rockley Photonics, Paul Williamson · Arm, Professor Ken Young · MTC (Manufacturing Technology Centre), Rina Pal-Goetzen · Semiconductor Industry Association, Simon Beresford-Wylie · Imagination Technologies, Simon Thomas · Paragraf, Toni Versluijs · Nexperia UK, Trish Blomfield · Intel	View ↗
7 Jun 2022	Alan Banks · TechWorks, Alistair McGibbon · Compound Semiconductor Application Catapult, Dr Andy Sellars · Compound Semiconductor Application Catapult, Jillian Hughes · NMI (National Microelectronics Institute), John Docherty · TechWorks, Martin McHugh · Compound Semiconductor Application Catapult	View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters

Date	Direction	Title
6 Sep 2022	To cttee	Letter from the Chair to the Nexperia UK Country Manager relating to evidence g…
6 Sep 2022	To cttee	Letter from the Chairman of Future Horizons relating to Newport Wafer Fab, 22 J…
6 Sep 2022	To cttee	Letter from the Nexperia UK Country Manager relating to evidence given to the C…