Innovation nation

 

White Paper reveals Government’s aims for UK talent.

Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, launched a White Paper entitled Innovation Nation today, which outlines the Labour Government’s aim to harness their spending to create a demand for British products and services.
 
Mr Denham, said: “We must make the UK the best place in the world to run an innovative business or public service, where innovation can flourish across every area of the economy.
 
“It is the British people who will create a world beating innovation nation and that is why we must unlock talent at all levels by investing in skills, research and the exploitation of knowledge. But we can achieve much more if we harness the power of Government as the UK economy’s biggest customer to create new markets and demand to benefit innovative businesses and people in Britain.”
 
As mentioned in yesterday’s Budget, the paper describes the government’s plans for setting practical goals for small and medium businesses (SMEs). The Government will allocate £150bn in public spending on goods and services each year alongside its regulatory responses to global challenges like global warming to create demand and new markets.

Innovation procurement

Immediate steps include a commitment for each Government department to publish an Innovation Procurement Plan as part of its commercial strategy, which will set out how departments will embed innovation at the heart of procurement practices, encouraging them to engage with businesses at an early stage.
 
Further commitments to innovation outlined in Innovation Nation include: bringing forward five new ‘innovation platforms’ to coordinate Government support and funding for businesses involved in developing new products and solutions to global challenges.
 
At least 1,000 ‘innovation vouchers’ will be provided to help support and fund SMEs to work with an academic institution to develop their product or service. These will be distributed every year by 2011.
 
Another initiative will see the expansion of the network of National Skills Academies with an academy for every major sector of the economy.
 
Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: "This White Paper presents a huge opportunity to address challenges through innovation, and for Government to be an exemplar of innovation across all Departments, in turn stimulating innovation and R&D investment throughout business.”

You’ve read it. Now review it.

Back to top

Back to top

Back to top