Top business leaders have revealed the reality of working in Milton Keynes following Covid-19 to a Government minister. 

Professionals representing a wide range of sectors from across the region spent over an hour expressing their views to Milton Keynes South MP Iain Stewart at a roundtable event organised by the Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce.  

Mr Stewart, who is also the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, heard about the problems businesses are facing with recruitment and skills shortages which are creating deficiencies in the supply chain and hampering the productivity of many firms.  

Chamber members also discussed Scotland’s plans to trial a four-day working week and what those plans could mean for other parts of the UK, with businesses highlighting how attitudes of employees had developed in the new hybrid working world.  

Mr Stewart said: “I welcomed the opportunity to host a business roundtable event with local business leaders last Friday.

“By hearing first hand the concerns raised, it helps me to obtain local evidence and opinions from businesses of all sectors.

“This will allow me to feed in to ministerial colleagues to help shape Government decision-making and policies – particularly at this time of the year when we are moving towards the period when fairly significant financial decisions are taken.”

Among those in attendance was 123 Internet Group CEO Scott Jones who is also a Milton Keynes Chamber board member and Platinum Chamber Business Partner. 

Scott said: “It was great to be given the opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting with our MP and to hear the views of other businesses. 

“It was a very valuable session and we discussed a lot of topics. Ultimately, a lot of what we talked about revolved around confidence. Businesses can help to boost confidence to an extent, but we need certainty from the Government to do that.” 

Milton Keynes Chamber policy executive Sean Rose added: “It’s very useful for businesses to have the opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns with a senior member of the Government. 

“These events also help our Chamber to keep our finger on the pulse on what’s happening in Milton Keynes so that we can effectively lobby local and national policymakers about the issues which are having an impact on our members.” 

The Chamber’s next roundtable discussion will be attended by former Secretary of State for BEIS, Andrea Leadsom MP and will take place online from 9:00am to 10:00am on Thursday, September 23. To book a place on the free event visit www.chambermk.co.uk/events  

For further information about how Milton Keynes Chamber helps businesses to get their voices heard by key decision-makers visit www.chambermk.co.uk/representation