Industrial Strategy a lost opportunity by BEIS to utilise public procurement

Mon,27 November 2017
News Education

Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future.

Link to Industrial Strategy white paper

This white paper sets out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK.

Commenting on the new industrial strategy, Philip Connolly, policy and development manager at Disability Rights UK said:

“The good news is that the Industrial Strategy does reference the Government’s target of moving a million disabled people into work by 2027, and does highlight their disadvantage in the labour market.

There is also good news in the commitment to boost their participation of disabled people in apprenticeships by 20%.

However, despite the acknowledgement that public sector procurement represents one of the biggest levers the Government has in the economy, there appears to be no real advances in policy that could assist the Government in meeting its targets on disability employment.

If the Government insisted the public sector was more proactive on supporting disabled people in training and employment opportunities as a condition of awarding contracts, then we’d see a step change in the numbers of disabled people in the labour market.

This is a lost opportunity and leaves the leadership of BEIS in delivering on the wider agenda of Government look weak.”

Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future.