We have been in the habit of bringing MEG and MEF together for meetings on a quarterly basis. During the past 12 months that has not been the case, because you have advised us that the confused agenda of MDUK and the associated Motorsport Academy left us all with little to discuss. That apart, as 2008 unfolded, potentially more serious issues were understandably impacting on your time.
The Government initiative, which spawned MDUK, comes to an end next month. It appears possible that the Motorsport Academy, now overseen by PERA, may continue, albeit pursuing the brief of a Business Support mechanism. This is not the Motorsport Education co-ordinating and quality measuring role it was challenged to fulfil by the Motorsport Competitiveness Review Panel.
The global financial downturn is now impacting on us all and the MIA is successfully striving to do what it can to assist the Industry weather the storm. One of the major tasks is to engage directly with central Government. MIA CEO, Chris Aylett is in direct and continuous contact with Ministers in the Departments for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (DBERR) and Innovation, Universities & Skills (DIUS). Both departments recognise the immense asset which the UK possesses in the innovative skills and knowledge, fundamental to the workforce of Motorsport Valley. The Government confirms to us that it is determined to work with us to protect and retain those qualities for the future.
We rely on your continuing support, not perhaps through meetings at Stoneleigh, but nonetheless by staying in touch. We do need to know of concerns, views and opinions of Government regulation and legislation.
We attend, on your behalf, the CBI’s Sectoral Employment Issues Committee (SEIC) and learn of new proposals, new legislation under discussion in Westminster and Brussels. We continue to send briefing notes and minutes of these meetings and rely on your comments to shape our contribution to SEIC. Most recently we have monitored the debate on Working Time Directive, new Employment legislation and many other key issues for our Industry.
So we need your help if we are to “make a difference”!
On 6 July this year, the MIA is organising its first “Motorsport in Parliament Day”. This is an opportunity to take the Industry’s issues and concerns, directly, to Westminster and discuss them exclusively with both Government and Shadow representatives of the Departments concerned.
So, very simply, we ask you to tell us .. what are the issues you would want to discuss with today’s, or perhaps tomorrow’s, Government Ministers?
The education and training, perhaps re-training, of the future workforce, the delivery to the Industry of appropriately qualified, appropriately skilled and knowledgeable human resource lies at the core of our future. For reasons which are apparent to you all, the past five years have failed to progress that ambition with any “joined up” meaning. The opportunity we now have comes at a challenging time…….but with your help, guidance and partnership we can steer the agenda.
We won’t pester you to attend meetings but do, please let us have your comments and views.
