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Select Committee · Business and Trade Committee

Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour markets

Status: Closed Opened: 27 May 2022 Closed: 11 Sep 2023 23 recommendations 18 conclusions 1 report

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee is launching an inquiry into the UK Labour Market. This next strand of the Committee’s overarching Post-Pandemic Economic Growth inquiry, launched in June 2020, will also build on the work of the Committee’s major inquiry into the impact of coronavirus on businesses and workers. The Committee wishes … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour mar… HC 306 21 Apr 2023 41 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
2 Conclusion Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Acknowledged

Dedicated support necessary for businesses to integrate new technologies and train workers.

We note that dedicated support is needed to help business owners and leaders understand what technologies are available, how they might be best used within their businesses and how to integrate those technologies and train workers to use them.

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the benefits and risks of new technologies in the workplace and details existing and forthcoming regulatory frameworks, such as the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and its AI white paper, which aim to provide safeguards. However, it does not commit to …
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Department for Business and Trade
9 Conclusion Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Acknowledged

AI governance responsibility shifts to DSIT; evidence shared with Science and Technology Committee.

Policy responsibility within Government for the governance of artificial technology has passed to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. We note that the Science and Technology Committee is in the midst of an inquiry into the governance of artificial intelligence. We therefore draw to the attention of that Committee … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the policy responsibility transfer and draws the Committee's evidence to the attention of the Science and Technology Committee.
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Department for Business and Trade
22 Recommendation Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Acknowledged

Establish mechanisms to detect threats to home workers from unreasonable employer expectations

We are not wholly persuaded that there is currently a need for immediate action to establish a statutory “right to disconnect”. But the Government should ensure that mechanisms and processes are in place to detect any significant threat to home workers from unreasonable expectations by employers of availability for work. … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government recognizes concerns about the blurring of boundaries between work and home, notes employer responsibilities, and will continue to monitor international approaches without introducing a statutory ‘right to disconnect’.
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Department for Business and Trade
37 Conclusion Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Acknowledged

Pensions reform may be required and needs Work and Pensions Committee attention.

We note that pensions reform may be a requirement and draw this, and our broader observations and recommendations, to the attention of the Work and Pensions Committee, which has responsibility for scrutiny of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Government response AI summary
The Government notes the recommendation.
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Department for Business and Trade
41 Recommendation Tenth Report - Post-pandemic economic g… Acknowledged

Returnerships offer valuable opportunities for workers of all ages requiring future evaluation.

We consider that such a process could be valuable for workers of all ages and that a review is conducted one year following implementation of returnships to evaluate their benefit more widely. (Paragraph 215) 72 Post-pandemic economic growth: UK labour markets Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it is promoting returnership pathways through various campaigns and Jobcentre Plus, and will continue to monitor the uptake of apprenticeships and related programmes, but does not explicitly commit to conducting a formal review of returnships one year after implementation.
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Department for Business and Trade

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
21 Feb 2023 Kevin Hollinrake MP · Department for Business and Trade, Lucy Standing · Bravestarts, Mike Warren · Department for Business and Trade, Tim Balcon · Construction Industry Training Board, Tony Wilson · Institute for Employment Studies View ↗
10 Jan 2023 Joeli Brearley · Pregnant Then Screwed, Kate Dearden · Community Trade Union, Lizzie Penny · Workstyle Revolution, Philippa Childs · Prospect Union, Professor Keith Ewing · Institute of Employment Rights, Sarah Douglas · Liminal Space View ↗
29 Nov 2022 Hannah Reed · Unite Union, Jennifer Sole · Employment Lawyers Association (ELA), Margaret Beels · Department for Business and Trade, Ms Alexandra Hall-Chen · Institute of Directors View ↗
15 Nov 2022 Andrew Pakes · Prospect Union, Anna Thomas · Institute for the Future of Work, Brian Palmer · Amazon, Carly Kind · Ada Lovelace Institute, Charlotte Holloway · Zoom, Laurence Turner · GMB, Neil Ross · techUK, Tania Bowers · Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCO) View ↗
19 Jul 2022 David Fry · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Frances O'Grady · Trade Union Congress (TUC), Jane Gratton · British Chambers of Commerce, Matthew Percival · Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Mike Keoghan · Office for National Statistics, Ms Claire Tunley · Financial Services Skills Commission, Neil Carberry · Recruitment and Employment Confederation, Stephen Phipson CBE · Make UK View ↗

Who gave evidence

31 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Andrew Pakes · Deputy General Secretary and Research Director Prospect Union 1
Anna Thomas · Co-Founder and Director Institute for the Future of Work 1
Brian Palmer · Head of Public Policy Europe Amazon 1
Carly Kind · Director Ada Lovelace Institute 1
Charlotte Holloway · Government Relations Director Zoom 1
David Fry · Director, Office of Manpower Economics Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy 1
Frances O'Grady · General Secretary Trade Union Congress (TUC) 1
Hannah Reed · Co-ordinator of Constitutional Affairs Unite Union 1
Jane Gratton · Head of People Policy British Chambers of Commerce 1
Jennifer Sole · Co-Chair of the ELA Working Party Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) 1
Joeli Brearley · Founder and CEO Pregnant Then Screwed 1
Kate Dearden · Head of Research, Policy and External Relations Community Trade Union 1
Kevin Hollinrake MP · Minister for Enteprise, Markets and Small Business Department for Business and Trade 1
Laurence Turner · Head of Research and Policy GMB 1
Lizzie Penny · Co-Founder and Joint CEO Workstyle Revolution 1
Lucy Standing · Co-Founder Bravestarts 1
Margaret Beels · Director of Labour Market Enforcement Department for Business and Trade 1
Matthew Percival · Director, Future of Work and Skills Confederation of British Industry (CBI) 1
Mike Keoghan · Deputy National Statistician and Director General… Office for National Statistics 1
Mike Warren · Director Department for Business and Trade 1
Ms Claire Tunley · Chief Executive Financial Services Skills Commission 1
Ms Alexandra Hall-Chen · Advisor for Sustainability, Skills, and Employment Institute of Directors 1
Neil Carberry · Chief Executive Recruitment and Employment Confederation 1
Neil Ross · Associate Director for Policy techUK 1
Philippa Childs · Head of Bectu Sector Prospect Union 1
Professor Keith Ewing · President Institute of Employment Rights 1
Sarah Douglas · Director Liminal Space 1
Stephen Phipson CBE · Chief Executive Officer Make UK 1
Tania Bowers · Global Public Policy Director Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCO) 1
Tim Balcon · Chief Executive Construction Industry Training Board 1
Tony Wilson · Director Institute for Employment Studies 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
18 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from Amazon to the Chair relating to AI technology in the workplace, 17 …
18 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chair to Amazon relating to AI technology in the workplace, 24 …
10 Jan 2023 To cttee Letter from BEIS Chair to Amazon on AI in the workplace, 10 January 2023