CBI Yorkshire and Humber host first Westminster Reception of 2020

This is part of a wider series of Westminster events the CBI will be hosting throughout 2020.

With the event taking place in the first few weeks of the new parliament, the CBI provided members with the opportunity to engage directly with – and hear the views of - their local representatives from Yorkshire and the Humber.

The panel session, chaired by CBI Director of Campaigns John Foster, comprised of:

• Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West, Chair of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee
• Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central, Chair of Exiting the European Union Select Committee
• Olivia Blake, MP for Sheffield Hallam
• Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton
• Imran Ahmad Khan, MP for Wakefield.

Driving transport to the top of the agenda

Throughout the event, the issue of improving regional infrastructure stood out as a key priority for both MPs and businesses.

With a government decision on High Speed 2 (HS2) expected within weeks, the project proved to be a hot topic of debate. Imran Ahmad Khan MP expressed concern over whether the costs of HS2 could be justified. But consensus quickly emerged that Sbbacking HS2 would be a clear vote of confidence in the future of the country – a view shared by both Hillary Benn MP and Kevin Hollinrake MP, showcasing the cross-partisan support for the project and its importance to the region.

Alongside HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail was cited as another crucial project needed for the region’s growth.

There was agreement amongst panellists that the debate must not be an either/or conversation when it came to the delivery of such infrastructure projects. Northern Powerhouse Rail, for instance, relies on around 80km of HS2 infrastructure. Members had a clear message for Westminster: Yorkshire and the Humber need to see the benefits of both.

Providing skills for 2020 and beyond

Away from infrastructure, the conversation turned to how partnership between business and politicians could help attract the right skills to the region and reskill those who will need to adapt to an evolving job market.

MPs stressed that although the government can lay the foundations for tackling this challenge, there is a clear role for business to play in providing solutions. T-Levels were cited as just one example of where members can make their voice heard to inform education providers on what skills businesses require, both now and in the future.

While there was consensus in the room that the skills agenda was an area where business and government could work in partnership, members were keen to highlight some the great work local businesses are already doing, especially in their interaction with schools in the region. Recent CBI research has shown that if a young person has four interactions with employers during their time at school, they are five times less likely to be unemployed.

Read CBI/Pearson and Skills Survey Report 2019

Levelling-up – helping the government deliver on its election promises

From infrastructure to people and skills, addressing regional inequalities was a core theme running throughout this Westminster reception. Following last year’s election and the Prime Minister’s ambition to ‘level-up’ every region of the UK, including Yorkshire and the Humber, businesses are now keen to play their part in turning the levelling up agenda into policy action.

Both MPs and businesses agreed that devolution can help unlock this ambition. Rachel Reeves MP highlighted that only by bringing decisions into the hands of local stakeholders, can action be taken more decisively on regional priorities.

Repaying the trust of voters – many of whom have never voted Conservative before – will be at the forefront of the government’s mind in the coming months and years. This means delivering on these commitments and providing long-promised investment to the region. The upcoming Budget on 11 March will therefore be a big indication as to how the government intends to deliver on their election promises.

Read CBI’s Powering up places report

To close the event, CBI Yorkshire and Humber Director, Beckie Hart thanked the panel and reiterated the importance of partnership between MPs and business. Beckie emphasised that only with this partnership could the big challenges of our time be tackled, from achieving net-zero to future-proofing the region’s skills base.

Want to get involved in the CBI’s upcoming Westminster receptions? Check out the CBI’s events page.