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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Communications and Content Industries (CCI) Strategic Industry Forum (SIF)?
What are the CCI SIF’s terms of reference?
Why has the SIF been established?
Who Chairs the CCI SIF?
What are the functions and responsibilities of SIF members?
Who is the SIF Secretariat?
How often will the CCI SIF meet?
Will Ofcom be represented on the CCI SIF?
How long will a member be expected to take part in the CCI SIF?
What is the composition of the SIF?
How were members selected to join the CCI SIF?
How will other industry contacts and CCI staff be aware of the work of the CCI SIF outside of the formal meetings?
Will SIF members be able send substitutes to SIF meetings?
How will we know if the SIF works?
How will this relate to the Business Council for Britain?
Will this replace the work of the Relationship Managers?
What is the Communications and Content Industries (CCI) Strategic Industry Forum (SIF)?
The Strategic Industry Forum (SIF) is an advisory group to senior officials in BERR’s Communications and Content Industries Unit (CCI). The CCI SIF does not have executive or decision-making powers with regard to the development of government policy or regulation.
What are the CCI SIF’s terms of reference?
- To develop a strategic, proactive and collaborative dialogue on policy development and regulation (international, European and domestic) for the UK communications and content industries.
- To contribute to the overall competitiveness and productivity of the UK communication and content industries through effective and early engagement of key business interests and regulators/policy-makers.
- To contribute to the overall CCI vision and ensure CCI business priorities have industry endorsement.
Why has the SIF been established?
The SIF brings together senior level key business and policy-making representatives at regular intervals for cross-sectoral, high-level business/government dialogue discussing key policy issues and CCI’s overall priorities.
From an internal perspective, the establishment of a SIF will help ensure that the allocation of CCI resource is being continually reassessed in the light of real-world business priorities.
Who Chairs the CCI SIF?
The group will be chaired by David Hendon, BERR’s Director of Business Relations 2.
What are the functions and responsibilities of SIF members?
SIF members will provide independent input to BERR and Government thinking on policy development. This may include providing advice on the UK’s position in international negotiations.
Who is the SIF Secretariat?
The secretariat members are:
- Leigh Jackson, Deputy Director (Business Engagement). Contact: Leigh.Jackson@berr.gsi.gov.uk; tel 0207 215 1594; BERR Communications & Content Industries Unit, Bay UG41, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET;
- Darren Holness, CCI SIF Secretariat. Contact: Darren.Holness@berr.gsi.gov.uk; tel 0207 215 1600; BERR Communications & Content Industries Unit, Bay UG23, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET.
How often will the CCI SIF meet?
The SIF will meet quarterly; the inaugural meeting took place on 7th November 2007. The next meeting is scheduled for 5th March 2008.
Will Ofcom be represented on the CCI SIF?
Representatives of the main regulators will be invited by the Chair as guests or observers as appropriate, but Ofcom are not SIF members.
How long will a member be expected to take part in the CCI SIF?
Industry members have been invited to join the SIF for a period of 12 months, after which CCI will review their membership composition. Membership renewal will give others an opportunity to become members of the SIF, this will be by mutual agreement following the CCI review.
What is the composition of the SIF?
The SIF is made up of approximately 23 senior-level industry representatives and government policy officials. The individuals appointed are expected to participate on a personal basis and not as representatives of particular company interests. A list of those who have accepted membership of the SIF as at November 2007 is shown on the SIF membership web page.
How were members selected to join the CCI SIF?
CCI has invited 23 individuals to join the SIF members. Those people have, between them, a broad range of experience and expertise across the communications and content industries, and all are currently active in some part of the sector. Membership is personal and members do not represent their companies, or specific parts of the sector, within SIF. Numbers are necessarily limited and we will review the SIF at the end of the first year of operation with a view to refreshing the membership and bringing in new peoples.
How will other industry contacts and CCI staff be aware of the work of the CCI SIF outside of the formal meetings?
Agendas and summary notes of SIF meetings will be available on-line via the BERR website and industry colleagues can feed in their views through their normal CCI contacts, or via the CCI SIF Secretariat.
On specific important issues, the Chair and members of SIF may establish supplementary working groups (SWGs) to ensure proper engagement of all relevant sectoral stakeholders, including sectoral intermediaries.
Once established, these SWGs would operate in tandem to the main SIF and would report in to it on progress. We expect that some of these groups will be of limited duration and will function as project teams with specific outcomes and deliverables. Others will function more as on-going communities of interest, developing thinking across specific sub-sectors or on particular policy matters.
All working documents, minutes and associated documents will be posted on the CCI SIF section of the BERR website
Will SIF members be able send substitutes to SIF meetings?
Membership of the SIF is on a personal basis, and personal representation will be important to ensure continuity of discussion on key issues. For these reasons, the preference is not to allow substitutes. Members unable to make particular meetings will be invited to submit their views to the Chair in advance on any upcoming agenda items.
How will we know if the SIF works?
The effectiveness and contribution of the Forum will be reviewed with key stakeholders in the light of the original Terms of Reference. A review will be conducted by CCI after 12 months of the CCI SIF being established.
How will this relate to the Business Council for Britain?
There is no direct link. The SIF is a CCI official level strategy group, which will influence CCI’s policy. Where SIF views and concerns have wider relevance, they will be fed into the Business Council’s secretariat, alongside other feedback from business.
Will this replace the work of the Relationship Managers?
No. Relationship Managers engage on all levels and all aspects of the Corporate Business. SIF members are people who have been individually selected for their particular expertise or experience. The SIF members role is to assist with the CCI Business Plan & Strategy.
(Updated – January 2008)