An essential ‘enabling’ sector
MPA welcomes key government announcement on industrial strategy and relationship with industry
THE Mineral Products Association (MPA) has welcomed the new approach to industrial strategy announced last week by BIS Secretary of State Vince Cable.
Mr Cable and the associated BIS UK Sector Analysis report highlighted the importance of a government focus on economic sectors which can make a particular contribution to recovery and growth.
In particular, the report identifies construction as a key ‘enabling’ sector which has a broad impact on overall economic activity.
As the largest element of the construction supply chain, a supplier of key materials to many other industries, and the largest material flow in the UK economy, the mineral products sector is itself also an essential enabling sector.
The report also sets out that a key aspect of the sector approach is that ‘businesses often organize themselves in sectors, as evidenced by the range of sector-specific trade bodies’.
Trade bodies represent the interests of the sector and can act as a tool to facilitate interaction between business and government.
As the sectoral voice of the mineral products industry, the MPA plays a vital role in government engagement.
Nigel Jackson, chief executive of the MPA, said: ‘Mineral products companies supply industries with a turnover of £400 billion and enable the construction industry to provide the buildings and infrastructure which underpin economic activity and improvements to our quality of life.
‘The fact that BIS has highlighted that ‘sectors are an essential tool for interaction between business and government’ and has also emphasised the strategic importance of ‘enabling’ sectors such as construction, is a very positive step for organizations such as the MPA and its member companies.
‘The MPA has developed comprehensive sector membership and can discuss key strategic issues with government, for example, how the sector can best support economic recovery and the need for better management of the cumulative impact of regulation faced by industry.’
