Commenting on the budget today Ian Brinkley, associate director at The Work Foundation, said:
ëThis may have been a muted kind of budget, but it was one of the few in recent memory to acknowledge directly the rise of the UKís knowledge economy, as the Chancellor highlighted the contribution of the creative sector, the rise of knowledge intensive industries, the critical importance of R&D intensive manufacturing, and the UKís unique specialisation in knowledge based services.
ëThese changes have placed the UK in a more favourable position to withstand the global downturn and to take advantage of future opportunities. Thinking around the knowledge economy has informed a series of recent and forthcoming White Papers ñ on the creative industries, enterprise, and innovation and skills. This budget could mark a turning point in promoting a wider public debate between now and the Autumn Pre Budget Report on the opportunities, challenges and policy options for the future.
ëThe green note was there in the announcements on plastic bags and zero-carbon buildings, but both seem timid. Big incentives to encourage organisations to go green were absent.í
Budget comment from The Work Foundation
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