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PICTFOR hosted its Annual Dinner in the Cholmondeley room in the House of Lords on Wednesday 27th November 2024. The night was a great opportunity to celebrate another busy year for the sector, and to look back on the events and insightful discussions PICTFOR hosted in 2024.  

Samantha Niblett MP, PICTFOR Co-Chair, opened the proceedings by welcoming guests to the House of Lords, and providing apologies for the absence of her Co-Chair, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP. She thanked all PICTFOR’s industry and parliamentary members for another fantastic year, with events covering topics ranging from emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and the impact of AI on the creative industries. Samantha highlighted how she looked forward to working closely with the over 50 parliamentary members now belonging to PICTFOR as Co-Chair. 

She also extended a special thanks to the Annual Dinner sponsors, Google and Federated Telecoms Hubs. She then introduced the first speaker of the evening, Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, who was unable to attend the dinner, but provided a video with his remarks.  

The Secretary of State emphasised the Government’s commitment to making economic growth its defining mission by investing in innovative industries that will shape the UK’s economy for decades. He outlined the critical role of the tech sector in driving prosperity across the country and highlighted steps being taken to overcome barriers to growth. He underscored the pivotal role of the tech sector as a driver of prosperity, creating jobs and boosting incomes across communities nationwide. The Secretary of State also acknowledged the challenges faced by the sector, noting that previous governments had too often let down innovators, with barriers such as rigid and unresponsive regulations stalling progress, gaps in skills development limiting the potential of talented individuals, and fast-growing startups struggling to access the finance they need to scale and succeed. He highlighted what the Government is doing to address these issues, such as the establishment of the Regulatory Innovation Office, enabling businesses to move innovative products and services from the lab to market and into daily life. He added that the launch of Skills England aimed to ensure the workforce is prepared to meet the demands of future tech jobs, equipping individuals with the tools to succeed in an increasingly digital economy. Despite these strides, the Secretary of State acknowledged that these efforts mark only the beginning of what needs to be done, expressing a strong desire to continue collaborating with stakeholders to establish a solid foundation for the tech sector’s long-term growth. 

Samantha then introduced Victoria Collins MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Science, Innovation and Technology. Victoria referenced the constructive collaboration PICTFOR has helped to foster among parliamentarians and industry, and how it aligned with the Liberal Democrat’s philosophy of constructive opposition. She described her priorities to ensure that we secure better investment in R&D, skills and connectivity across the UK. She reiterated that good technology leads to good business citing PICTFOR’s members as a testament to this ethos.  

Alan Mak MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology opened by reflecting on the dynamic pace of technological change and acknowledged the contributions of British scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to the sector. He thanked them for their pivotal role in advancing the UK’s position as a global tech leader and emphasised the importance of policymaking in fostering this success.  

The Shadow Secretary of State outlined his vision for the future of UK science and technology, underpinned by five core principles: 

  • World-Class Research and Innovation: Positioning Britain as a leading hub for growth and innovation. 
  • Tech Business Growth: Making the UK the premier location for starting and growing technology businesses. 
  • National Investment Destination: Expanding investment opportunities beyond the Golden Triangle of London, Oxford, and Cambridge to benefit the entire country. 
  • Pro-Growth Regulation: Advocating for a smart, streamlined regulatory framework to support innovation. 
  • High Technology Adoption: Encouraging widespread use of technology to enhance productivity across all sectors of society. 

He committed to working with industry, academia, finance, and policymakers to reach these goals, thanking PICTFOR members for their diligence in fostering and setting an example for such collaboration.  

The following speaker, David Black, Senior Director, Google UK and Managing Director of Clients, Industries and Verticals, highlighted the work Google has done working with the Government and parliamentarians on how technological change can empower people and boost productivity. He emphasised the importance of digital skills in positioning the UK as a leading digital economy, and highlighted the work Google have done on this, training over 1m people in digital skills over the last 10 years through their Digital Garage initiative. David Black also highlighted the work Google has done for digital inclusion, giving people foundational skills for the next digital shift, and the difference that this is making up and down the country.  

Following this, Professor Harald Haas, Co-Director, Federated Telecoms Hubs, University of Cambridge, outlined the UK’s leadership in telecommunications research and development, its global collaborations, and the innovative initiatives underpinning the nation’s competitive edge in this vital sector. He added that the UK is at the forefront of telecoms research, bolstered by a £40 million investment through UKRI’s TMF fund, establishing four telecoms hubs. 

Professor Haas emphasised the critical role of telecoms in societal transformation, particularly in public services like the NHS, and its potential to drive innovation and economic prosperity. He advocated for sustained investment in telecoms infrastructure and innovation to secure the UK’s share of the rapidly expanding global telecoms market. He also advocated for global partnerships, and a collective excellence framework integrating over 25 universities to foster R&D, knowledge sharing, skills development, and technology road mapping. 

Lastly, PICTFOR Treasurer Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG emphasised the importance of growth, innovation, and skills development in the technology sector. She highlighted the role of collaborative events hosted by PICTFOR in fostering connections between industry and parliamentary colleagues across all parties. She highlighted how growth had emerged throughout the evening as a central theme in discussions, particularly regarding science, R&D, and digital innovation. She highlighted the effectiveness of cross-sector dialogue, enabling attendees to exchange insights on technological advancements and opportunities. Finally, the Baroness expressed gratitude to attendees and members, acknowledging the importance of collaborative PICTFOR events in shaping the future of the UK technology sector. She reiterated the potential impact of collaborative efforts on the nation’s economic growth and innovation landscape. 

 

 

If you would like further information on this topic or about PICTFOR’s programme of events, please get in touch!

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