b'8 Member News March 2020Influencing government and industryThe UK party conferences: Highlightingthe importance of engineering and technologyThe IETs Public AffairsReflecting on the Conservative event, Vicky Ford MP said: I was delighted to have joined an IET fringe event at the 2019 Conservative party conference. I joined three strategy aims to positionenergy experts and we all agreed its one of the biggest issues that we face, and, quite the IET as Parliamentariansrightly, pretty much everyone is talking about it. But how do we achieve it? The UK is go-to place for independent,leading the world in fighting climate change. We should be proud of what has been achieved. Moving towards net zero will require everyone to play a role. Government impartial, engineering andaction is needed but so is action by businesses, individuals and communities. technology expertise. As partEngineering and technological solutions will be a key part in providing solutions for the of this, we held fringe eventsdecarbonised world. Thats why this is such an exciting time.at the main UK political partyOf the Labour event, Chi Onwurah MPFocusing on engineering and technology said: In September [2019], Labour partysolutions for an ageing population, we conferences in Autumn 2019.conference voted to move towards awere joined by Minister for Older People These events focused ontarget of net zero emissions by 2030. and Equalities, Christina McKelvie MSP, A few hours later I was speaking at anat the Scottish National Party (SNP) event: the role of engineering andexcellent IET event on engineering and technology in solving real- technology solutions for a decarbonised world. The excitement was palpable. world problems. Some felt that the target was tooUtilising technology to support ambitious, unachievablewe needthe ageing population is a The Labour and Conservative eventsa plan, one engineer said, then we centred around engineering solutionswill know whether we can achieve it.challenge that matters to us for a decarbonised world, featuring aOtherwise engineers will get the blame. all. Technology will be central panel of IET experts who were joined byAs a past project manager I respect the Shadow Industrial Strategy Minister, Chisentiment, but I disagree on two counts. to these efforts to enable Onwurah MP (Lab) and Vicky Ford MPNothing is achievable till we have theolder people to be more (Con), then a member of the Science andambition to achieve it.And this is a huge Technology Select Committee. opportunity for engineers! connected and engaged in their communities. I believe that we will see technologies blending with individuals to meet holistic health needs, as technologies could help identify and resolve the many and varied requirements of older people. This is an exciting Chi Onwurah MP future, but I truly believe that advancing technology has a crucial role to play supporting our ageing population to continue to live independently and also to improve health outcomes for us all.Vicky Ford MP Christina McKelvie MSPTo find out more and read blogs from the three politicians who attended, please visit: theiet.org/party-conferencesFor more information on the IETs Public Affairs work, please email: PublicAffairs@theiet.org'