b'12 Member News March 2024InfluencePublic Affairs update Semiconductors: InNEPC Manifesto response to the Government The IET is working with our National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC)announcing funding for colleagues to produce the Engineering Manifesto, a compilation of policythe UK semiconductor and chip technology sectors, recommendations covering all aspects of engineeringfrom education and skillswe welcomed the funding to industrial strategy and infrastructureto provide an easily accessible guideboost, in particular the for policymakers as they write their respective political parties manifestos.commitment, and funding, The recommendations build on the collective work and expertise of the 42to address the skills gap. Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) who make up the NEPC. Civil Nuclear Roadmap: Responding to the long-awaited Civil Nuclear At the core of our recommendationsRoadmap, we welcomed the are calls for a long-term, systemsfocus on skills, security and newer technologies such as approach: leveraging engineeringis why it is important that thisSmall Modular Reactors, but expertise to address complex problemsmodel brings greater agilityhighlighted industrys call for to the current system. We willlong-term detailed planning and support decision making.continue to make the caseand commitments which the for greater flexibility in thesupply chain can rely on. The final document will bealong with the findings of ourApprenticeship Levy in the published shortly with a launchSustainability Skills Surveyrun up to the next GeneralYou can keep up to date event in Parliament to share2023 data, to recommendElection and beyond.with the latest IET policy the recommendations withgreater flexibility in the use ofresponses by following politicians and policymakersApprenticeship Levy trainingThe IET respondsus on LinkedIn and X from all parties. As well asfunds by allowing unused(Twitter) or by checking seeking to influence themoniesof which there hasWe are always keen toour website: theiet.org/manifestos being writtenbeen over 3bn returned toharness the expertise of ourmedia/press-releasesby each political party, theHM Treasury since 2019tomembership to respond to document will also form ourbe utilised in establishinggovernment announcements platform for informing andan agile skills fundingand consultations. Some scrutinising governmentpot, which is accessiblerecent examples include:policy from day one in office. for upskilling in areas of technological skill deficit. AI regulation: We welcomedBudget submission This would support UKthe Governments response businesses innovation andto the AI Regulation White Once again, the IET madegrowth, as upskilling isPaper which commits to an a formal submission to thefoundational to an approachagile, innovative approach to Spring Budget, which wewhich puts innovation at theAI whilst ensuring guardrails also publicised in an articleheart of the UK economy.are in place to mitigate risks. for the New Statesman.Training often takes timeWe stressed that support to that workers and businesses,upskill regulators must beTim Allison, Public Our submission built onparticularly SMEs, dont alwaysdelivered quickly to ensureAffairs Manager our recommendations fromhave when it comes to newco-ordinated and consistenttimallison@theiet.org previous Budget submissions,technologies such as AI. Thatregulatory approaches.'