An update on our recent regions and nations work
Reinforced the contribution and enabling role of the industry across the UK’s regions and nations and set out recommendations for how the industry can further support growth across the country through the latest iteration of our ‘Enabling growth across the UK’ report. The publication has been an important piece of collateral for engaging with key policymakers and stakeholders. We also used it with MPs at our Parliamentary Reception in Westminster and in personalised communications highlighting data about the industry jobs within their constituency, which many found very useful. The data and content from the report underpinned our party conference programme and continues to be well referenced by policymakers and stakeholders.
Published the latest version of our ‘Exporting from across Britain’ report, which explores the significant contribution Britain’s regions and nations make to overall UK industry export activity, showing that over 40% of Britain’s industry exports originated outside London in 2020.
Delivered a successful National Conference in Edinburgh partnership with SFE and sponsored by PwC and State Street. We welcomed around 260 delegates who heard speeches from EST Andrew Griffith MP, the Labour Leader in Scotland Anas Sarwar MSP, and the Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, former First Minister of Scotland. We also ran a series of panel discussions on levelling up, trust and reputation, diversity and skills, and the green agenda one year on from COP26. The event was also a great opportunity to bring together our Regional and National Chairs to discuss progress made across our regions and nations programme and future priorities.
Appointed four new Regional and National Chairs in Yorkshire and the Humber (John Walsh of Marsh), Wales (Tom Bray of Eversheds Sutherland), the North West (Lyndsey Fallon of Deloitte) and the North East (Jerry Arneja of HSBC UK) to our Chairs’ network to help drive forward local stakeholder engagement and collaboration and to foster stronger links between the UK’s financial centres. This key group of senior leaders are based in industry hubs throughout the country and their insight helps to shape our policy positions, such as the recommendations of our annual ‘Enabling Growth Across the UK’ report and our response to the government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
Continued to strengthen engagement with influential leaders across the UK’s regions and nations, with the support of our Regional and National Chairs and through meetings, roundtables and discussions. We have been bolstering engagement with the Metro Mayors, holding events with Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street; Labour Minister for the Economy in Wales Vaughan Getting MS; and Labour Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, with others in the diary for the coming months. We’ve also met with Shadow Levelling Up Minister Alex Norris MP; and Chair of the Northern Research Group of Conservative MPs John Stevenson MP. These events have been helpful to press the industry’s priorities in areas such as skills, levelling up and devolution. We continue to build and enhance these important relationships as we approach the May 2024 Mayoral Elections.
"TheCityUK is good at understanding the importance of the decentralisation of professional and financial services in the UK, supporting the regions and advocating for levelling up."
TheCityUK member
Successfully secured the adoption of critical policy recommendations in relation to devolution and apprenticeships. Set out in our annual ‘Enabling growth across the UK’ report, these policy outcomes have included ensuring more consistency and accountability in English devolution, greater local control over skills policy and funding and a significantly enhanced role for metro mayors in trade promotion in their regions. Our engagement with Labour MPs, shadow ministers and advisers saw the party announce that they will reform the Apprenticeship Levy to create a wider Training and Skills Levy, should they form a government at the next election.
Promoted the industry’s role in addressing skills challenges and to ensure a strong pipeline of talent. Alongside building on our work with the Financial Services Skills Commission to advocate for the reform of the Apprenticeship Levy, our CEO focused on the industry’s skills and talent agenda when he gave oral evidence to the then Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy Select committee, which was noted in its final report. We’ve also partnered on an initiative led by Yorkshire Building Society to explore and address the skills challenges for the industry in the Yorkshire and the Humber.
