Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to provide guidance to businesses on (a) the process, (b) the expectations and (c) the sign-off procedures for creating sector deals as part of the industrial strategy.

Sector Deals are an open challenge to industry to come to Government with proposals to transform productivity, earning power and investment in their sector. We are prepared to work with any sector which can organise behind strong leadership to address shared challenges and opportunities. The business community is best placed to identify what firms really need. Government will be there to support them

Since the launch of the Industrial Strategy consultation in January over sixty sectors have expressed interest in a Sector Deal, many of which are working up detailed proposals to submit to Government.

Sectors should work with their sponsor Departments when developing proposals and can submit them directly to the Industrial Strategy Unit at BEIS at sectordeals@beis.gov.uk.