IOM3 welcomes new Secretaries of State
IOM3 writes to new Secretaries of State on growth and resilience.
IOM3 welcomes the appointment of new Secretaries of State following recent changes to ministerial responsibilities, including the creation of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST).
The Institute has written to ministers responsible for business and innovation, environment, and energy, highlighting the vital role of materials, minerals and mining in delivering the Government's priorities for economic growth, industrial competitiveness, clean energy and national resilience.
The creation of DBIST brings together business, science and innovation, providing an opportunity for a more joined-up approach to the policies needed to strengthen UK manufacturing, accelerate innovation and improve long-term economic resilience.
Dr Colin Church CEnv FIMMM, CEO of IOM3, said:
“The UK's ambitions for economic growth, clean energy and technological leadership will only be achieved if we have the materials, skills and industrial capability needed to deliver them.
“The establishment of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade creates an important opportunity to bring together innovation, manufacturing and resource policy in a way that strengthens resilience, boosts competitiveness and supports sustainable growth.
“As the professional body for the materials, minerals and mining community, IOM3 looks forward to working with the new ministerial teams and their departments to help shape evidence-based policy and ensure the UK is equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of the coming decades.”
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP, IOM3 highlighted the fundamental role of materials, minerals and mining across every sector of the UK economy, from advanced manufacturing and aerospace to healthcare, digital technologies and defence.
IOM3 called for a coordinated UK Materials Strategy that recognises the importance of securing, managing and using materials more effectively throughout their lifecycle. The Institute also encouraged Government to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan urgently, strengthen its approach to critical minerals, support industrial decarbonisation and address skills shortages across the materials value chain.
In letters to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Angela Eagle MP, and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Rt Hon Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, IOM3 highlighted the importance of resource efficiency and circular economy policy in strengthening supply chains, supporting the energy transition, reducing emissions and improving economic resilience.
The Institute emphasised that the transition to net zero depends on secure and sustainable supplies of materials and minerals, while better use of material resources can help improve productivity, enhance national resilience and reduce environmental impacts. It urged Government to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan as soon as possible and continue close collaboration across departments to ensure its successful implementation.
Across all three letters, IOM3 offered support as an independent source of technical expertise and sector insight, helping Government deliver its ambitions for growth, innovation, resource security, clean energy and the transition to a more circular economy.
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