Select committee: Economic Affairs Committee
Recommendation 5
3rd Report - Employment and COVID-19: time for a new deal
Published 14 Dec 2020
Paragraph 20
Economic Affairs Committee Employment and COVID-19 All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
In previous reports we have set out the effects of Government inaction and underinvestment in areas which include skills and training, social care and Universal Credit. The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the urgent need to take action in these areas. In this report we build on our earlier work and set out how the Government can join up policies to build a sustainable recovery in line with the Government’s longer-term policy objectives. These include meeting the net zero carbon emissions target, improving the UK’s social infrastructure and implementing the levelling up agenda. The Government should support people to find routes into employment, including into jobs which support these objectives, by enhancing the UK’s skills and training system.
From: Economic Affairs Committee, 3rd Report - Employment and COVID-19: time for a new deal, paragraph 20, 14 December 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 12 February 2021 (deadline 14 February 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government's response sets out the support already provided, says it will "keep all impacts and policies under review", and states that further details of its economic response will be set out at the Budget.
- On the Universal Credit uplift, the Government says the £20 per week increase "is due to end in April 2021" and that it "will continue to assess how best to support people and the economy".
- On a new state entity to manage debt, it says it has "chosen not to pursue" TheCityUK's proposal, stating that lenders, not the Government, are best placed to support borrowers repaying guaranteed loans.
- On apprenticeship levy funds, it says employers already have 24 months to spend them, that it believes this "is sufficient", and that it does "not intend to make any changes to current arrangements".
- On Kickstart, it reports removing the minimum threshold of 30 vacancies on 3 February, so employers can apply directly or via a gateway organisation. It says it has "no plans" to let other organisations refer young people.