The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, chaired by
,
today invites written contributions to its new inquiry on
employment and COVID-19.
The Committee will examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
on the labour market and consider what urgent measures should be
taken to protect and create jobs. It will also examine how the
labour market may change as a result of the pandemic in the
longer term. The Committee intends to make recommendations to the
Government.
The Committee is seeking answers to the following questions:
- What steps should be taken to protect and create jobs over
the next two years? What trade-offs should be considered?
- What barriers to entering employment could be removed to
support the labour market recovery?
- Which sectors are likely to experience the most change in
supply and demand?
- To what extent should any future intervention by the
Government in the labour market be targeted sectorally and/or
regionally?
- What lessons can be learned from previous recessions and
active labour market policy interventions in the UK? What lessons
can be learned from schemes and interventions that have been
implemented in other countries?
- What steps should be taken to create a sustainable recovery
over the medium and longer term?
- How should the Government support training and skills
development?
- What positive and negative trends in employment may have been
accelerated as a result of COVID-19?
,
Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee, said:
“COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the economy and
people’s livelihoods. Our Committee’s inquiry will focus on
measures that could help protect and create jobs. We will then
make our recommendations to Government in due course.
“To inform our work we want to hear from as broad a range of
people as possible. If you have a view on employment in the
context of the COVID-19 crisis, look at our call for evidence and
let us know what you think.”
The deadline for the submission of written evidence is 10
September 2020.
Click here
to read the call for evidence and find out how to submit
evidence.
In the last two years the Economic Affairs Committee has
published reports on Universal Credit, social care, High Speed 2,
measuring inflation and post-school education. Following the
publication of these reports the Government announced a review of
its own social care policy and an independent review of High
Speed 2.
The Committee’s post-school education report called for a change
to how student loans are recorded in the public finances. Within
six months of publication the Office for National Statistics did
just that and reclassified as public spending the amount of
student loans expected not to be repaid.
