Matt Warman, MP, has been asked to conduct a Future of Work review as the government seeks to grow the economy after the pandemic.
The Future of Work review will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will produce a high-level assessment of the key strategic issues, and will build on existing government commitments, including those made in response to the Taylor Review. The second phase will provide a more detailed assessment of selected areas of focus. The terms of reference include the importance of place and local labour markets in creating and facilitating access to good jobs, the role of automation and how the "good" flexibility in the labour market and the gig economy can encourage productivity and growth, while ensuring sufficient protections are in place to prevent exploitative practices.
The review will be conducted over spring and summer 2022 before a written report, including recommendations to guide long-term, strategic policy making on the labour market, is submitted to the Prime Minister.
In the meantime, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee has launched a call for evidence into the UK labour market. Responses to the call for evidence are invited by 8 July 2022 and the questions to which the Committee is inviting submissions are grouped under five headings. These are the state of play in the UK labour market post-Brexit and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on recruitment, skills shortages and the growth of the labour market; Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology in the workplace; workers' rights and protections; employment status and modern working practices five years on from the Taylor Review; and the impact of an ageing population on the labour market.
The Committee wishes to discover whether the UK has enough workers with the right skills in the right places to do the jobs required for the economy, taking into account an ageing population, migration changes and the impact of technology. It also wishes to understand whether current employment law is fit for purpose or requires reform.
