Government urged to set out a roadmap for the chemical sector

The government’s Council for Science and Technology has written to Cabinet ministers calling for action to support the chemical sector, warning that intervention is needed to protect jobs and safeguard the future of industrial regions.

The council observes that the sector is in “long-term decline” due to both international issues, such as energy costs, and UK-specific challenges including regulatory complexity, policy instability, and the absence of a long-term strategy.

The letter is authored by co-chairs Angela McLean, Government Chief Scientific Adviser, and Lord Browne of Madingley. It makes two recommendations: to appoint a minister with accountability for the chemical sector, and to set out a “clear long-term roadmap” within the next year.

The first recommendation looks to have been acted on already, at least in part. The letter was sent on 30 July, since when Blair McDougall has been named Minister for Reindustrialisation with chemicals and plastics as part of his portfolio. The Council for Science and Technology adds that the responsible minister will need to work beyond their own department, with a “route to Cabinet-level decisions where agreement cannot be reached,” and be supported by a dedicated cross-government unit or taskforce.

The council’s call for a roadmap seeks to address issues including regulation, access to finance and investment, and the drawing up of a definition of the chemical capabilities and supply chains the UK needs for national security. The letter calls for the roadmap to then

“assess the viability of these capabilities, including their dependencies on energy, feedstocks, infrastructure, skills, finance, regulation and international markets, and make strategic choices about interventions. This should include careful assessment of the role of European partners, who are seeking to stabilise and grow their chemical sectors.”

The letter concludes by noting that the Council for Science and Technology would be happy to work with officials to fill evidence gaps and develop the proposed roadmap.