The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has given evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee as one of a panel of expert witnesses consulted on the recently published Green Paper, Building our Industrial Strategy
The Green Paper sets out the UK Government’s ambition to improve living standards and economic growth by increasing productivity throughout the UK, along with how it proposes to achieve it.
It is by no means a finished framework however, with input being sought from innovators, investors, employers, employees and the general public alike across every corner of the UK.
Providing oral evidence to the Select Committee on behalf of the Scottish aquaculture industry was SAIC CEO Heather Jones, “It was an honour to represent the industry – and, at the same time, Scotland’s wider Innovation Centre programme itself – and help lay the foundations for more balanced growth across the UK.”
“Aquaculture is a sector that is standing on its own two feet. It is globally profitable and is already harnessing innovation in robotics and other technologies. The industry is investing tens of millions of capex in the UK economy, and is driving up productivity through management leadership and training”.
“Yet within the proposed Industrial Strategy there is little mention of niche sectors or sectors with particular regional importance. That is why I welcomed the aspiration for balanced growth across all four home countries, but also urged the Select Committee to reflect the contribution of industries vital to rural and coastal communities within the advice it gives to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and the Industrial Strategy.”
Helping shape the evidence provided, Heather Jones consulted with a cross-section of Scottish stakeholders prior to attending the Select Committee meeting.
These included leading farmed fish and shellfish producers and suppliers; key bodies such as the Scottish Funding Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and Universities Scotland; and Scotland’s other seven Innovation Centres.
Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Innovation Centres after her appearance, Heather Jones said, “Many of our own sector strategies in Scotland directly mirror the ideas in the Green Paper. They are formed by Industry Leadership Groups and tackle key barriers to growth: ensuring a strong skills-base; boosting business investment in research and development; and directly supporting deeper industry-academic collaboration.”
“The real measure of whether the Industrial Strategy is successful or not will be whether it manages to close the productivity gap between the UK's best performing companies and places, and between its urban powerhouses and rural peripheries.”
To view the 'Building our Industrial Strategy Green Paper', click HERE.
Read more HERE.
The Green Paper sets out the UK Government’s ambition to improve living standards and economic growth by increasing productivity throughout the UK, along with how it proposes to achieve it.
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| Image: Martin de Lusenet |
Providing oral evidence to the Select Committee on behalf of the Scottish aquaculture industry was SAIC CEO Heather Jones, “It was an honour to represent the industry – and, at the same time, Scotland’s wider Innovation Centre programme itself – and help lay the foundations for more balanced growth across the UK.”
“Aquaculture is a sector that is standing on its own two feet. It is globally profitable and is already harnessing innovation in robotics and other technologies. The industry is investing tens of millions of capex in the UK economy, and is driving up productivity through management leadership and training”.
“Yet within the proposed Industrial Strategy there is little mention of niche sectors or sectors with particular regional importance. That is why I welcomed the aspiration for balanced growth across all four home countries, but also urged the Select Committee to reflect the contribution of industries vital to rural and coastal communities within the advice it gives to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and the Industrial Strategy.”
Helping shape the evidence provided, Heather Jones consulted with a cross-section of Scottish stakeholders prior to attending the Select Committee meeting.
These included leading farmed fish and shellfish producers and suppliers; key bodies such as the Scottish Funding Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and Universities Scotland; and Scotland’s other seven Innovation Centres.
Speaking on behalf of the Scottish Innovation Centres after her appearance, Heather Jones said, “Many of our own sector strategies in Scotland directly mirror the ideas in the Green Paper. They are formed by Industry Leadership Groups and tackle key barriers to growth: ensuring a strong skills-base; boosting business investment in research and development; and directly supporting deeper industry-academic collaboration.”
“The real measure of whether the Industrial Strategy is successful or not will be whether it manages to close the productivity gap between the UK's best performing companies and places, and between its urban powerhouses and rural peripheries.”
To view the 'Building our Industrial Strategy Green Paper', click HERE.
Read more HERE.
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