CBI aims to develop findings into policy recommendations

The CBI has appealed to members in the creative industries to register their opinions on the paper. Sara Draper, head of knowledge economy at the CBI, who was involved in authoring the paper, says, ’We want to be as collaborative as possible. We actively want to hear from our members.’

The report, which was launched last week, proposes measures for the Government to adopt to deliver a good business environment for the creative industries.

The measures are adopting a ’forward-thinking’ regime on competition policy; developing skills policies tailored to the needs of the creative industries; providing certainty about intellectual property; creating a more competitive tax framework; helping creative businesses access capital; and encouraging market-led investment in high-speed Internet.

The CBI says it is addressing the creative industries as it believes the sector ’can play a crucial role in rebalancing the economy and delivering high growth’.

Speaking at the paper’s launch, CBI president Helen Alexander said, ’Our creative industries are critical for rebalancing the economy, reducing the deficit and delivering growth, but the sector is in the middle of structural change. The spread of digital technology and the growth of the online environment mean business models are shifting fast.

’Making sure our creative industries remain world leaders will require action from the Government to deliver the right business environment for the sector to flourish.’

Draper says work on the paper started about six months ago, and was driven by the changes to the creative industries brought about by the rise of the digital sector, as well as the challenges of the recession.

She adds, ’Clearly, when there is a new Government there is an opportunity to set a new agenda.’

She says the key issue the CBI highlighted for the design industry is about skills. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills last week launched the consultation document Skills for Sustainable Growth, and is calling on stakeholders to share their ideas on the future of skills policy.

Draper adds that the CBI will develop the headline suggestions into detailed policy proposals over the next 12 months.

She says the first three issues tackled will be competition policy, followed by skills and access to finance. She says the CBI hopes to have ’fully developed’ policy recommendations in these three areas by the end of the year.