To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address labour shortages.
Answered on
8 March 2023
The Government is reforming the skills system to better support people to get the skills our economy needs, which is essential to addressing labour shortages.
The Government is supporting employers in all sectors to develop the skilled workforces they need by investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament, offering flexible training through Skills Bootcamps, and increased investment in apprenticeships.
In December 2022, the Government published its response to the consultation “making flexible working the default”. This committed to make changes to the Right to Request Flexible Working to boost availability, several of which are being taken forward through the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill.
Additionally, the Department for Work and Pensions are reviewing workforce participation and how we can attract and retain workers, particularly older workers. This will work to address labour shortages in both the short and long term.