Hallam’s Managing Director Rob Pickersgill was invited to join the panel of MAKE UK’s “Levelling Up” webinar on 26th November discussing MAKE’s report on regional disparities in manufacturing in the UK. The panel consisted of Rob plus:

Ed Miliband, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Steve Fogg, Chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership and NP11 Innovation Lead

Neil Sevitt, Partner and Head of Manufacturing for Yorkshire and North East Region, RSM

MAKE’s report identifies significant differences in productivity and income per head across the regions and the panel answered questions from the large webinar audience about how these differences should be addressed, including the role of general infrastructure spending in the levelling-up process. The importance of devolution of spending powers to Mayoral Authorities and LEPs for local infrastructure spending and business support was also emphasized. Ed Miliband pointed out that the Government’s Industrial Strategy Report had given a commitment of support to the regions but in many cases, funding had not yet materialised. Rob pointed out that funding support for manufacturers seeking to increase their productivity was also required.

MAKE UK’s “Levelling Up” webinar