Industry and Parliament Trust

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The Industry and Parliament trust is a corporate-Parliament partnership designed to increase the influence of business and give business privileged access to MPs at Westminster. It provided the model for the development of the Scottish Parliament Business Exchange

It describes itself as follows on its website:

Established in 1977, the Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT) is a registered charity dedicated to fostering mutual understanding between business and Parliament for the public benefit. The Trust is independent, non-partisan and non-lobbying.
  • IPT facilitates educational exchange Fellowships for MPs, MEPs, Peers and Officers of both Houses with a range of companies from different sectors of commerce and industry.
  • IPT organises a range of study programmes and events for companies in Westminster and in Brussels.
  • IPT arranges attachment schemes for civil servants enabling them to see the parliamentary process at first hand in the company of an MP.

Members

Mission Statement

The IPT percives itself as guided by this mission:

"To ensure that the United Kingdom has the best business-informed Parliament and the best parliamentary-informed business community in Europe."

The IPT defines itself as having 'Charitable Objects' but also engages in the promotion of industry and commerce. It seeks to enhance "efficient and effective administration of government for the benefit of the public". And it believes that this is achieved by "promoting mutual understanding between legislators and wealth generators from all sectors of business." Ultimately then, the IPT seeks a pluralist approach. [1]

History

The IPT was established in 1977 by the Chief Executives of 10 major British companies to develop an understanding by management about Parliament through ‘dialogues’ between Parliamentarians and companies. The IPT state that Sir Leslie Smith was instrumental in its founding and also a director of the BOC group, which also comprised:

Richard Giodano: Grand Metropolitan, Lucas Industries, RTZ and National Power;

Paul Bosonnet: BT, MAM Group and Logica;

Desmond O' Connell: Lucas Industries, McKinsey & Co.;

[Robert Malpas]: ICI, PowerGen, BP, Barings, The Channel Tunnel Group and Eurotunnel;

Croker Nevin: Drexel Burham Lambert, The US Postal Service;

Patrick Rich: Societe Generale De Survelliance and the Van Leer Foundation;

Baron Christopher Tugendhat: Abbey National, LWT, the Civil Aviation Authority, Commercial Union, the Nat West Bank, Eurotunnel plc, chair of the RIIA (Chatham House), Governor of the Ditchley Foundation

Dick Taverne: the president of Prima Europe, a former Labour MP (a former minister for State at the Treasury during the dark days of 1968-69) who then moved to the SDP, then Liberal Democrats, chair of the Public Policy Centre (1984-87), OLIM Investment Trust, Equity and Law. [2]

Background

The Directors of the IPT since its foundation are: Alan Eden-Green (1977-82), Riki Hyde-Chambers OBE (1983-03) and Sally Muggeridge (Chief Executive) (2003-).

The founder companies who funded the development of the IPT in 1977were: BOC, Cadbury Schweppes, Chloride Group, Laporte Industries, Marks & Spencer, Metal Box, Scottish & Newcastle Breweries, Tarmac, Plessey and United Biscuits. This funding resulted in the first 'fellowships' in 1978/9 that were awarded to:

Rt Hon Arthur Bottomley MP (M&S)

Peter Bottomley MP (Plessey)

Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler MP (Plessey)

Jim Craigen (S&N)

The Lord Corbett of Castle Vale(Chloride)

Baroness Fookes (M&S)

Rt Hon Sidney Irving (Metal Box)

The Lord Jopling (Laporte)

Hal Miller (Chloride)

The Lord Pendry (Laporte)

Sir Hugh Rossi (BOC)

Neville Sandelson (BOC)

In 1980 IPT was located at 1 Buckingham Place (Royal Warrant Holders Association) relacating in 2004 to 3 Whitehall Court, SW1. In 1992 it was involved in an Inaugural European Study Programme for Industrialists (ESPI) in Brussels.

Notes

^ On Prima see Roger Liddle, GPC