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

To ask Her Majesty's Government why they decided to disband the Industrial Strategy Council; and what plans they have to replace it with another independent body.

The Government has decided that the Industrial Strategy Council in its current form will no longer be needed to monitor and evaluate the impact of the Industrial Strategy, following Industrial Strategy’s transition to Build Back Better: our plan for growth, and so will be wound down after its Annual Report. We will draw on the Industrial Strategy Council’s work and expertise, both on success metrics and insight projects, in taking forward further work in this area.

However, we must ensure our plan is carried through with a relentless focus on delivery and we will continue to evaluate our work. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet Secretary have asked Sir Michael Barber to conduct a rapid review of government delivery to ensure that it remains focused, effective and efficient, and to suggest how it could be strengthened.

Furthermore, The Build Back Better Business Council was convened by the Prime Minister to support ‘Build Back Better: our plan for growth’. The Build Back Better Business Council brings together a broad range of business leaders from across the whole British economy to work in partnership with the Government to recover from COVID-19, unlock investment, boost job creation, level up the whole of the UK, and promote Global Britain.