IOM3 supports joint National Engineering Policy Centre Spending Review submission

With one month until the government is due to deliver the Budget, including its spending review for the next 3 years, 42 engineering organisations including IOM3 have outlined six urgent actions.

These actions will be vital to ensuring we have the right skills and investments in place to both grow and decarbonise the economy. 

The review entitled, ‘Six engineering ambitions for the UK Spending Review’ is the National Engineering Policy Centre’s submission to the 2021 spending review. It recommends areas for investment that the engineering profession believes the government should prioritise if it is to meet the goals it has set itself and the country.

IOM3 CEO Colin Church CEnv FIMMM said, ‘As the Government prepares to decide how it will spend taxpayers’ money over the next three years, it is vital that it ensures that it supports engineering and science properly. The six areas highlighted by the NEPC are vital for the future prosperity of our society and economy as we transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient society.’

Actions for government recommended by the paper include:

1. Follow through on the commitment to invest £22 billion in R&D by 2024/25. This increase needs to start ramping up now to ensure it delivers the best returns for the economy and society.
2. Accelerate decision-making and investment in low-regrets actions that are needed now for decarbonisation, including low-carbon retrofit and refurbishment of existing building stock, prioritising low-carbon heat, and scaling up the electric vehicle charging network.
3. Establish a net zero delivery body to drive and coordinate progress across government and industry, provide systems-level analysis, share learnings about what works, and build a clear, evidence-based vision for a net zero UK.
4. Urgently invest in an ambitious net zero skills plan that will enable rapid and affordable re-skilling and up-skilling opportunities for the existing workforce to meet the short-term skills needs for transition to net zero, as well as longer term skills needs.
5. Invest in a long-term STEM education strategy, including boosting careers activities and teacher recruitment and accelerating the expansion of inclusive and high-quality technical education and engineering apprenticeships.
6. Embed long-term demand drivers into decision making on infrastructure investment to build back better with low carbon, resource efficient and resilient infrastructure.

The full submission can be found at bit.ly/39Vc2oZ