Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee

Recommendation 5

7th Report - Industrial Strategy Published 6 Jun 2025 Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We recognise that the UK needs to prioritise and play to its strengths if it is going to move the dial on growth. We support the Government’s decision to focus the industrial strategy on sectors of the economy where the UK has a comparative advantage, or the ability to build one. However, the industrial strategy and sector plans should be supplemented by a clearer vision of how the UK can contribute to, and economically benefit from, societal challenges that are reshaping the global economy. (Conclusion, Paragraph 40)

From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, 7th Report - Industrial Strategy (HC 727), 6 June 2025

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 12 September 2025 (deadline 6 August 2025).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government welcomes the Committee's ten tests as metrics to assess progress and responds to each recommendation, agreeing in several areas while stating that it has no current plans to change the Regulatory Innovation Office.

  • On measuring progress, the government "agrees that there must be clear measures in place" and says the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council will oversee monitoring and evaluation and report annually.
  • On putting the Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing, the government agrees this is an important step and commits to doing so "when parliamentary time allows", with provisions in the IS Bill.
  • On the Regulatory Innovation Office, the government says: "There are not current plans to change the Department or scope of the RIO."
  • On the Prime Minister chairing the Growth Mission Board, the government says the Board is chaired by the Chancellor and the Prime Minister "is not a member of the Board" but engages frequently by other means.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error