The previous minister who was tasked by the former chancellor to invigorate domestic investment in the UK is being considered for the position of chairman of the nation’s leading manufacturing industry trade association.
According to Sky News, Lord Harrington, who also held the role of Boris Johnson’s minister for refugees following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is anticipated to be appointed as the new chair of Make UK.
Sources within the industry indicated that Lord Harrington’s appointment is likely to be declared in the upcoming weeks.
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Should his appointment be confirmed, he will take over from Lord Hutton, the anterior business and defence secretary.
This appointment arrives amid increasing pressures on the United Kingdom’s advanced manufacturing sector,
Last month, Make UK initiated the Industrial Skills Commission in a bid to address what it termed as “the mounting skills deficit in manufacturing and engineering throughout the nation”.
Robert Halfon, the previous minister who is co-chairing the commission, remarked: “The new administration has pledged to reform the existing Apprenticeship Levy and replace it with a Skills and Growth Levy.
“However, it is crucial that we ensure this new levy delivers ample opportunities for apprenticeships at all levels so that employers nationwide have access to the requisite skills for growth that both they and our nation need.”
Make UK is one of the B5— a select group of business organizations, including the CBI and FSB, that engage in regular discussions with senior government officials.
During his initial term in government, Lord Harrington contributed to the development of the industrial strategy in 2016 and negotiated sector-specific agreements for the automotive, aerospace, and life sciences sectors.
More recently, he was appointed by Jeremy Hunt to oversee a review of the UK’s strategy towards foreign direct investment.
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Lord Harrington is currently advising the Labour government on the rollout of his recommendations.
Since exiting government, he has embraced various positions in the private sector, including chairing Regal, a London-based property development firm, and the UK’s Real Estate and Infrastructure Forum.
Make UK opted not to comment, and Lord Harrington was unavailable for response.
