May 1998

Westminster Report, IEE Review

Westminster and Whitehall have been awash with "engineering activism" over the past few months. It makes a pleasant change! Whilst Government Ministers have pushed through a number of initiatives - particularly on the environmental side, Parliamentarians have continued to raise important questions, notably on the skills shortages facing the engineering industry.

Responding to a question from the Treasury PPS, Ian Pearson, (an MP with a strong interest in the industrial heartland of the Midlands), President of the Board of Trade, Margaret Beckett confirmed that the Government were encouraging partnership between industry and academia through mechanisms such as joint technology development projects and technology transfer activities which involve academics working in industry.

The DTI have made clear their continued commitment to the UK Foresight Programme. Science and Engineering Minister John Battle stated in a Commons Written Answer that the purpose of Foresight was to generate outputs which identify significant market opportunities or threats and to identify emerging capabilities and demand for science, engineering and technology. The Minister added that the resource requirement of the Foresight programme would be decided on a number of criteria, including whether it met the public interest and whether it "contributed to the Government's objective of promoting employment, investment and fairness". In short, he will have to argue his case with the Treasury!

The Government have been keen to demonstrate that they have been listening to the engineering industry. In answer to questioning from Labour backbencher Claire Curtis Thomas - a doughty defender of engineering - Margaret Beckett welcomed the Engineering Council (EC) proposed advertising campaign, and reported that Ministers had had considerable contacts with the engineering sector since the General Election. This had included ministerial meetings with Dr Alan Rudge and Michael Heath (Chairman and Director General of the EC).

MPs were reminded that Mrs Beckett had given the key note address to the Engineering Employers Federation Dinner in February and that Trade Minister Lord Simon had spoken at the annual conference of the EC last year. Mrs. Beckett confirmed that she would be giving an address to the Engineering Council Senate in December 1998. Ms Curtis Thomas had also asked if the Government would alter the title of Chief Scientific Adviser to reflect his engineering responsibilities. Sadly, Mr Battle answered that their were no plans to do so.

In Committee, the Government were fulsome in their praise of engineering and the shipbuilding industry. Speaking to European Standing Committee B on 25 March (discussing shipbuilding aid), Mr Battle told MPs that Britain had a strong engineering base rooted in a tradition of world class experience and quality. The country had a competitive edge "not least because of the quality engineering that exists now and should be developed as part of our manufacturing base, and not written off as it has been in recent decades". He added that shipbuilding had a proud and successful tradition in the terms of engineering and the Government were working in partnership to improve competitiveness."

A major area of concern for Parliamentarians of both Houses has been the question of engineering skills. In the Upper House, Lord Evans of Parkside initiated a discussion on the shortage of skilled engineers across the UK. He noted that Land Rover had recently announced that because of a shortage of British engineers, it would be forced to recruit over 100 engineers form Europe. He urged the Government to bring together organisations like the Engineering Employers Federation, the TECs and the new University for Industry to ensure that they put engineering training at the top of their agenda. For the Government, Lord Simon argued that engineering was a term that included many different specialisms and a wide range of expertise within them. From time to time there would be shortages in one or more skill categories.

In the Commons, Mrs Christine Butler, Labour MP for Castlepoint raised the issue of equality of opportunity for scientific careers. In answer, Mr Battle noted that the far few women were taking up science and that the Department for Trade and Industry were pursuing the objective of equality of opportunity to increase the participation of women in science, engineering and technology, not least through the DTI special development unit set up for this purpose. In addition, Employment Minister Kim Howells stated (in response to Labour backbencher Helen Jones) that WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) continued to receive support from the DTI.

Replying to questioning from a Tory MP from the West Midlands, John Taylor, John Battle agreed that there were engineering kill shortages in the West Midlands and that local organisations were working hard to encourage more young people into engineering. In answer to further questioning from other MPs, Mr Battle said that surveys indicated that the engineering sector was not suffering from a general shortage of engineering skills, however there were shortages in particular sectors and the Government were making every effort to address these problems, through task forces and supporting research. Recently, the DTI has suggested that youngsters will opt for careers in engineering if they understand the part it can play in securing a "greener cleaner future".