House of Lords lunch shows rising influence of aluminium.
On the 12th July, The UK Aluminium Federation (ALFED) held its annual lunch at the House of Lords hosted by Lord Paul of Marylebone.
It was a fruitful and honest discussion of key issues facing the industry, with lots of opportunity for members to ask questions of the parliamentarians and civil servants. And there was a bit of additional drama as the MPs hurried from the chamber with their fresh copies of the Brexit white paper – it was interesting hearing their immediate impressions.
Here are the key takeaways from the event:
• The Aluminium Federation is having a major impact on government policy – Richard Harrington MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at BEIS, as well as the BEIS civil servants and APPG parliamentarians all commented on how helpful Alfed has been as they consider policies affecting trade and industry
• Government is taking our interests to heart when it comes to trade and Brexit – and they welcome our continued input. Alfed CEO Tom Jones meets officials regularly, so let us know if there are issues you want him to raise
• The aluminium industry is making key strides when it comes to showcasing innovation – Rob Bennett from Bloodhound SSC made this clear as he discussed the valuable contribution aluminium is making to efforts to break the land speed record
• We need to think long-term about talent issues – the Bloodhound SSC/ALFED combined project is part of this, and if you’d like to sponsor the schools-based activity (and build your business profile), contact Kathy Romback at [email protected]
The next big event is the Annual Dinner and Member’s Briefing on Thursday 20th September. One of the highlights of the industry calendar, it’s being held this year at the prestigious Tortworth Court Hotel, a Grade II-listed Victorian mansion in South Gloucestershire.
To book your tickets for the dinner and to take advantage of our pre-reserved hotel rooms, please contact Ann Gough at [email protected] or on 0121 601 6365.