UK will need better skills to retain edge, says Treasury committee

High-level skills in all sectors will have to be developed if the UK economy is to retain a competitive edge against emerging economies like China and India, according to a report published this week by the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee.

Globalisation: Prospects and Policy is the latest report into the impact of globalisation on the UK economy by the crossparty committee.

The Design Council has welcomed the report, claiming it adds further weight to the relevance of its skills agenda, according to a spokeswoman. Key recommenda tions include ‘an annual analysis of new developments affecting the Government’s assessment of the impact of globalisation’, and an ‘annual review on the prospects arising from globalisation’. The programmes of the Department for Universities, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in shifting the UK towards innovation as a chief economic driver, would be expected to inform the reviews.

The report requires the Treasury to respond to the committee’s recommendations