Productivity Commission Evidence Session: The Role of Public Investment in Growth

An evidence session of the Productivity Commission, which focuses on what and how productivity can be improved, particularly looking at 'The Role of Public Investment in Growth'.  The Commissioners put questions to our witnesses.

Our witnesses include:

Urvashi Parashar (Chief Impact Officer and Chief Economist, UK National Infrastructure Bank)
Urvashi’s role includes measuring, evaluating and communicating the impact of the Bank's investments in the context of its two strategic objectives, climate change, and regional and local economic growth.
Prior to this, Urvashi led on the evidence and analysis for the Levelling Up White Paper in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities taskforce, and has been head of a multidisciplinary team of analysts in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy providing evidence and analysis on investment.

Jan in ’t Veld (Head of Sector Model-based Economic Analysis, European Commission)
Prior to joining the European Commission, Jan worked as a researcher at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. Jan’s research interests are in the areas of macro modelling, fiscal policy and structural reforms.

Nigel Driffield (Professor of International Business, Warwick Business School)
As well as pursuing academic research, Nigel also works with a number of stakeholders, both locally and nationally on issues relating to inward investment and economic development. Nigel’s main area of research has been the economics of international business. The focus of this is the nexus between firm strategy, such as location decisions, and local responses seeking to influence this in both home and host country. Nigel is the Midlands Forum Lead for The Productivity Institute and is currently completing a three-year ESRC funded study into West Midlands productivity.

Gerald Holtham (Professor of Regional Economy, Cardiff Metropolitan University)
Gerry is Hodge Professor of Regional Economy at Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Managing Partner of Cadwyn Capital LLP. His previous roles include Chief Investment Officer of Morley Fund Management, Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, and Head of the OECD’s General Economics Division. Gerry also served as a member of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Economic Research Advisory Panel and chaired the Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales. Gerry was a trustee and non-executive director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs. Gerry’s academic appointments include Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and Visiting Fellow of the Brookings Institution, Washington DC.