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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the proposed independent Industrial Strategy Council referred to in their white paper, Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain fit for the future, by what date they expect to have such a body appointed.

The Industrial Strategy Council will be independent. It will be responsible for putting the right evaluation and reporting structures in place and make recommendations to government on industrial strategy.

We will begin the process to establish the Council as soon as possible. We expect Council members will be invited on the basis of their expertise, experience and skills. We expect the Council’s membership to be multidisciplinary and include leading business men and women, investors, economists and academics with wide ranging knowledge of local, national and international perspectives. Our aim is for it to start work in spring 2018.