Last week’s poll: the industrial strategy white paper

The latest industrial strategy, covered in this article, has been relatively well received, with many bodies noting that Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has listened to the concerns of industry in the white paper’s formulation.

This prompted The Engineer to focus attention on the thoughts of its readers and their opinions on the latest attempt to focus government activity on improving productivity and high-tech innovation.

No clear winner emerged from the poll, with the most participants agreeing that the industrial strategy white paper doesn’t do enough for SMEs (38 per cent), and a third (33 per cent) believing it’ll need more funding.

Contained within the white paper was the announcement of an Industrial Strategy Council to measure progress. Of the 210 respondents, 15 per cent thought the industrial strategy would require a stronger ‘watchdog’, and only six per cent thought it would meet most of industry’s needs.