Barry Sheerman MP is the Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Design & Innovation Group, our Chair, and co-founded Policy Connect.

"I voted to Remain in the European Union, as did the vast majority of people within the design and innovation sector, but Parliament and the APDIG must ensure that Parliament scrutinises the work of the government to get the best deal for Britain and to build on the tremendous strengths that the British economy has to ensure a positive future for the United Kingdom.

Theresa May and David Davis now have the duty of leading the United Kingdom out of the EU and negotiating directly with our partners to secure the best deal for Britain. In these talks the government must seek to ensure that the design sector is closely involved in these negotiations at every opportunity. APDIG members have a major role to play in this respect. 

We are already developing a series of fiscal recommendations to the Treasury ahead of the Autumn Statement. We are already calling for the extension of tax relief for research and development in order to help incubate the design and innovation industries and to ensure that the sector is on firm footing for the future. 

The reshaping of the government in Theresa May’s new Cabinet is a radical one, and there is much to consider. The new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has the potential to be a true powerhouse. The Ministerial team includes Nick Hurd and Jesse Norman, both of whom have strong experience with the creative industries. APDIG look forward to engaging with the new Secretary of State, Greg Clark and to developing the Government’s policy towards the sector.  

We also look forward to working with the new Education Secretary, Justine Greening, and will continue to work towards ensuring that design and technology education is not overlooked in the reforms to the national curriculum and the English Baccalaureate. I also hope that, with the Department now also responsible for skills training, that design training will not be ignored by the new Ministerial team.  

With the recent calls for further investment in infrastructure; from new railways, to airport capacity, to housing, we will also be hoping that the government takes heed of the vital importance of good design in the built environment. Appropriately, the Design Commission’s report on behaviour and the built environment will be released at the end of the year to coincide with these changes."

Join us at the All-Party Parliamentary Design & Innovation Group to further the discussion on design and innovation policy, through education, research and development and Brexit negotiations.

To find out more, contact Jack Tindale on jack.tindale [at] policyconnect.org.uk (email) or 0207 202 8588.