Call for evidence – UK advanced materials
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a call for evidence on UK advanced materials.
Advanced materials are part of one of the UK Innovation Strategy’s 7 technology families and examples include metamaterials, 2D materials, self-healing and living materials and composite structures.
An Advanced Materials Scoping Group will be formed to support the government’s work in this area and assess responses to the call for evidence.
IOM3 CEO Colin Church CEnv FIMMM said, ‘Advanced materials and materials, minerals and mining more widely are fundamental to our economy, and in addressing many of the societal challenges we face such as the climate and biodiversity crises, healthy ageing and global competition. This call for evidence is a welcome and important step from Government towards a much-needed more strategic approach to advanced materials. With expertise from raw material extraction and processing to end-of-life, IOM3 members are extremely well-placed to provide evidence to this call and I strongly encourage those with an interest to get in touch to inform the contribution that IOM3 will be making to Government.’
For the UK to remain competitive, innovative and wealthy, the full materials supply chain must be considered, and a holistic view of our future needs is essential. By responding to this call for evidence, and informing Government’s next steps, there is the opportunity to move towards a needed structure and focus to materials sourcing, research, development, testing and regulation, to ensure maximum benefit to the UK economy and society.
The call for evidence asks:
- Are there any challenges and/or opportunities for UK Advanced Materials?
- What lessons, if any, from other countries and companies could we learn from?
- What are the strengths of UK Advanced Materials?
- Are there any specific gaps in UK Advanced Materials capability that you would like to share?
BEIS is seeking views relating to a wide range of topics, including commercialisation, regulation, skills, research and innovation, promoting exports and dual-use technologies.
The 7 ‘technology families’ are transformational technologies that will drive change over the coming decades and where the UK has globally competitive research and development (R&D) and industrial strength. Along with advanced materials, others include AI, digital and advanced computing as well as robots and smart machines.
IOM3 will be hosting a roundtable discussion for members to consider the questions, share their insights, and contribute to the evidence submitted. To express an interest in participating in the roundtable or contributing in other ways to this call for evidence, please contact Rachel below.
You can read the full consultation at bit.ly/34p3ckc
