Political monitor uk june 23rd edition 182959618235
Published: 23-Jun-25 | By APSCo
Public Policy
Political Monitor UK | June 23rd Edition
On 23rd June, the Department for Business and Trade publishedthe long-awaited UKIndustrial Strategy a 10-year plan designed to boost growth and investment across eight key sectors: life sciences, advanced manufacturing, digital technology, defence, clean energy, finance, professional and business services, and the creative industries. A full analysis note will be shared after publication. The document is set to include an extra £1.2bn by 2028-29 to transform the skills system.
This will include:
specific funding to support technology training for engineering, digital, ICT, and defence skills and support technical excellence colleges;
new short courses in relevant skills funded by the Growth and Skills Levy and skills packages targeted at defence digital and engineering.
The Strategy will include visa and migration reforms designed to support talented individuals to move to the UK to work in high-growth sectors, alongside a new Global Talent Taskforce.
The Industrial Strategy will be accompanied by five Sector Plans for Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, the Creative Industries, Digital and Technologies, and Professional and Business Services. Full details will be published on Gov.UK shortly.
Other Key News
On 19th June, HM Treasury launched its 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, including £725bn of capital commitments over the next decade to fund infrastructure projects. A full briefing can be found here.
On 11th June, HM Treasury set out the UK Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review, which set Departmental Budgets and capital spending for 2026-2029. £1.2bn a year was announced to support training and apprenticeships for young people, including previously announced training and support for construction workers. Education will see a real terms increase in capital budgets, while the NHS secured a £30bn funding boost. A full briefing note can be found here.
With new statistics showing that CPI inflationis at 3.5%, the Bank of England decided to holdinterest rates at 4.25%, while hinting at a further cut in August.
The Data (Use and Access) Act has achieved Royal Assent, bringing in reforms to how healthcare, consumer, and energy data can be used by the NHS and other bodies.
At the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Business MinisterJustin Madders told global leaders that the Employment Rights Bill will make UK businesses internationally competitive, while driving worker productivity.
The Department for Education launcheda package of measures to transform how schools use AI, including the first ever AI guidance for schools and colleges.
APSCo News
Letter for Members to send to MPs
Following recent engagement with peers and Minister Madders we have drafted a detailed pro forma letter for members to use to writein their business or personal capacities (or both) to their constituency MPs. We underestimate the power we have as individuals to impact legislation through this route. Time is of the essence so please download, fill in your details, adapt as you see fit and send this week! Time is running short in Parliament to change the Bill.
URGENT: Survey on the Guaranteed Hour Provisions and Views on Economic Impact
The Government’s impact assessments are light on detail. They need to know the impacts of the reforms on business and the labour market. We also need to look forward to regulation on guaranteed hours provisions and how we can exclude or limit exposure to temps and contractors. With that in mind find a list of questions here to consider. If you can respond as soon as possible by COB 25th June that will be of most use to us.
Umbrella Supply Chain Reform
APSCo was involved in a meeting with HMT, HMRC and other stakeholders recently. HMT confirmed that subject to ministerial sign off the direction of travel was to legislate joint strict liability between the recruiter contracting directly with the client and the umbrella ( or umbrella and client if no recruiter). Primarily this would be to allow HMRC to resolve more minor technical underpayment issues with the umbrella although primarily they would refer to the recruiter for underpayment.
They also expect umbrellas to continue to report PAYE under their reference number (ERN), which is more straightforward for recruiters, again this is the direction of travel, and not final.
This consultation seeks to gather evidence and views on (i) How to define 'school support staff' - to confirm which staff are within the SSSNB's remit; (ii)Current pay and conditions arrangement and (iii) Whether to include agency workers in the scope of the SSSNB in future legislation.
We urge education members to submit responses themselves as it is an online survey and volume of responses matter. Please also circulate to your agency workers and your schools and encourage them all to respond.
We will also be submitting our own response, and this meeting is to collect our members’ views. If you do register please do read the consultation document before the meeting.
The Week Ahead
Tuesday 24th June:Baroness Smith of Malvern, Minister for Skills at the Department for Education, will before the Education Select Committee to discuss “Further Education and Skills”.
Tuesday 24th June: Employment Rights Bill Lords Committee Stage (Day 11)
Tuesday 24th June:Oral Question: Improving social care provision over the next 2 years.
Wednesday 25th June:Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security at the Department for Work and Pensions will go before the Work and Pensions Select Committee to discuss “Get Britain Moving: Pathways to Work”.
Thursday 26th June:Oral Question: Opportunities for joint working for staff who are separately employed by the NHS and social care agencies.
The Bill continues its long passage through Lords Committee Stage, which began on Tuesday 29th April. The Report Stage of the Bill has yet to be announced, but APSCo will provide Peers with an updated briefing note ahead of time.
On 19th June, the UNISON national conference formally welcomed the Employment Rights Bill, while noting that there is more to be done and that they would push the Labour Government to ensure that it does not ‘water down’ any clauses ahead of Lords Report Stage.
![current_brand[0].name](https://uk.apsco.org/hs-fs/hubfs/APSCo%20United%20Kingdom%20Logo%202024_RGB-1.png?width=400&height=160&name=APSCo%20United%20Kingdom%20Logo%202024_RGB-1.png "current_brand[0].name")
