Jobs, growth, and productivity after coronavirus

Treasury Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 1 Apr 2021 Closed: 7 Feb 2023 Parliament page
This inquiry will examine how the Government can reduce the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on economic growth and employment rates. It will look at: What difference government policy can make to economic growth Why the UK’s productivity growth is persistently weak How successful the Government’s response to the pandemic … Read more
7 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Letters
6 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
1 Dec
2022
Report published
24 Nov
2022
Correspondence
24 Nov
2022
Correspondence
23 Nov
2022
Correspondence
23 Nov
2022
Correspondence
13 Jul
2022
Report published
11 May
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
7 Feb
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
13 Dec
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
20 Oct
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
20 Sep
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
12 Jul
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and productivity after coronavirus HC 139 13 Jul 2022 17 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
17 results
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
Witnesses were mostly unpersuaded by the Government’s arguments for the abolition of the Industrial Strategy...
Witnesses were mostly unpersuaded by the Government’s arguments for the abolition of the Industrial Strategy and its replacement with the Plan for Growth. More importantly, we are particularly concerned at the ‘chop and change’ and lack of long-termism in growth … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Plan for Growth is an overarching framework supporting a whole-Government approach to delivering long-term growth, with departments reporting progress quarterly.
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2 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
Although witnesses were generally in agreement with the broad aims and priorities in the Plan...
Although witnesses were generally in agreement with the broad aims and priorities in the Plan for Growth, there was some dissatisfaction in both written and oral evidence with other aspects. It was suggested that there was a lack of detail … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Plan for Growth is an overarching framework which helps to support a whole-Government approach to delivering long-term growth, and outlines processes already in place.
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3 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
We are concerned at the abolition of, and the lack of a replacement for, the...
We are concerned at the abolition of, and the lack of a replacement for, the Industrial Strategy Council, which provided oversight and evaluation of the Government’s growth strategy, and a suite of detailed metrics against which to judge the success … Read more
Government Response
The Plan for Growth is an overarching framework which helps to support a whole-Government approach to delivering long-term growth, and progress is measured through Outcome Delivery Plans (ODP) with departments reporting their progress to Cabinet Office and HM Treasury on a quarterly basis.
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4 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
The Government as a whole is spending a large amount of money and time on...
The Government as a whole is spending a large amount of money and time on devising growth strategies and policies. It is important to have a robust, overarching strategy for this that drives co-ordination across departments. This function may well … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Plan for Growth is an overarching framework which helps to support a whole-Government approach to delivering long-term growth, and outlines processes already in place.
HM Treasury
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5 Recommendation Accepted
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
In its response to this Report, the Treasury should set out how it is making...
In its response to this Report, the Treasury should set out how it is making the Plan for Growth an effective successor to the Industrial Strategy, given that it is not taking on additional resources for this purpose, and in … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Plan for Growth is an overarching framework which helps to support a whole-Government approach to delivering long-term growth, and outlines processes already in place.
HM Treasury
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6 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
We do not believe that the Plan for Growth should necessarily be discontinued, let alone...
We do not believe that the Plan for Growth should necessarily be discontinued, let alone the Industrial Strategy revived, as another wholesale change in policy would exacerbate the lack of long termism and consistency in policymaking. Nonetheless, there needs to … Read more
Government Response
The Plan for Growth is an overarching framework which helps to support a whole-Government approach to delivering long-term growth, and progress is measured through Outcome Delivery Plans (ODP) with departments reporting their progress to Cabinet Office and HM Treasury on a quarterly basis.
HM Treasury
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7 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
Post-pandemic scarring seems likely to be much less of a problem than first feared.
Post-pandemic scarring seems likely to be much less of a problem than first feared. But there are still risks, especially outside the labour market, that need Government attention. Notably, these include the long-term legacy of interruptions to education. Business indebtedness … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges that productivity growth has slowed and is monitoring issues exacerbated by the pandemic, such as business indebtedness and individuals withdrawing from the labour market, and states that it has announced a package to reform and invest in the key supply side drivers of productivity gains.
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8 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
There are productivity-enhancing opportunities arising from the pandemic, in an increased take up of digital...
There are productivity-enhancing opportunities arising from the pandemic, in an increased take up of digital technologies and in remote working in certain circumstances. The Government should be looking at how it can facilitate these positive developments, while also being mindful … Read more
Government Response
The government continues to monitor productivity growth and has announced a package to reform and invest in the key supply side drivers of productivity gains.
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9 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
Brexit has not been a major focus of this particular inquiry.
Brexit has not been a major focus of this particular inquiry. Nonetheless, it will clearly have a profound impact on the economy’s future direction and growth prospects, potentially greater than the long-term effect of the pandemic. In its response to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the need to explain how growth policy is identifying and helping sectors most adversely affected by changes in trade between the UK and EU. The Autumn Statement announced that the government will move rapidly to review retained EU law in key growth industries.
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10 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
A consistent theme in this inquiry was that a significant part of the UK’s productivity...
A consistent theme in this inquiry was that a significant part of the UK’s productivity shortfall compared to other countries is due to a ‘long tail’ of low-productivity firms, usually small ones. Relatively poor digital technology adoption and management skills … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of productivity and has announced a package to reform and invest in the key supply side drivers of productivity gains, including infrastructure and investment.
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11 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
Help to Grow: Management and Help to Grow: Digital are promising responses to the problems...
Help to Grow: Management and Help to Grow: Digital are promising responses to the problems of relatively poor digital technology adoption and management skills among businesses, but there have been some difficulties in the early days of the schemes. Considering … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the importance of long-term stability in growth policy. They stated they are committed to helping small businesses and are rebalancing the rates of the reliefs to ensure cutting-edge, innovative firms have access to finance to invest.
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12 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
The Chancellor is correct to pinpoint business investment as a component of the UK’s shortfall...
The Chancellor is correct to pinpoint business investment as a component of the UK’s shortfall in productivity compared to other major advanced economies. The UK’s record in this area has worsened since 2016. In addressing this investment shortfall the Chancellor’s … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the importance of addressing the investment shortfall through tax incentives and policy certainty and stated they are committed to helping small businesses and are rebalancing the rates of the reliefs to ensure cutting-edge, innovative firms have access to finance to invest.
HM Treasury
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13 Conclusion Accepted
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
The target to spend 2.4 per cent of GDP on research and development (R&D) is...
The target to spend 2.4 per cent of GDP on research and development (R&D) is an important aspect of growth policy. We re-iterate our disappointment over the pushing-back of the target to spend £22 billion of public money on R&D … Read more
Government Response
Government spending on R&D will increase to £20 billion a year by 2024–25, a cash increase of around a third compared to 2021–22.
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14 Recommendation Deferred
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
The Treasury has allocated significant and welcome resources to initiatives to help people who are...
The Treasury has allocated significant and welcome resources to initiatives to help people who are seeking work gain employment. However, a more urgent problem now seems to be becoming clear in the sharp fall in the number of people looking … Read more
Government Response
To understand what action should be taken as a result of the rise in economic inactivity, the Department for Work and Pensions will thoroughly review workforce participation concluding in early 2023.
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15 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
The Prime Minister has suggested that labour shortages should not be resolved through immigration, as...
The Prime Minister has suggested that labour shortages should not be resolved through immigration, as part of a drive for a high-wage economy. At most, some witnesses to our inquiry thought this could have a small effect on wages. Moreover, … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need to address gaps in the UK's skills and ease labor shortages, but emphasizes that immigration will not be the long-term solution and reform within industry is vital. They are taking steps to ensure the education system provides the skills current and future employers need, for example through T-Levels, Higher Technical Qualifications and Skills Bootcamps.
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16 Recommendation Rejected
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
We have received a large number of proposals for reform of the Apprentice Levy in...
We have received a large number of proposals for reform of the Apprentice Levy in England. A full review is needed, and the Treasury should confirm that it is going ahead with such a review. (Paragraph 132) Macroeconomic policy
Government Response
The government stated there will not be a formal review of the Apprenticeship Levy or system at this time.
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17 Conclusion Not Addressed
Fourth Report - Jobs, growth and p…
The key points made by witnesses on macroeconomic policy issues were: • Global energy prices...
The key points made by witnesses on macroeconomic policy issues were: • Global energy prices and supply chain disruptions arising from the pandemic are the main factors behind the outbreak of inflation. But second-round effects, in the form of inflation … Read more
Government Response
The government provides context on the economic situation since the report was published including the impact of global challenges, Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and high energy prices. It notes the high rate of inflation and deteriorating economic outlook.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 17 of 7 classified
Accepted 6
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 1
Total 7 recs + 10 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
24 Nov 2022 Correspondence from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury relating to the Committee’s report on ‘Jobs, growth and productivity after coronavirus’, dated 23 November
Parliament page
24 Nov 2022 Correspondence from the Chair to the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury relating to the Committee’s report on ‘Jobs, growth and productivity after coronavirus’, dated 24 November
Parliament page
23 Nov 2022 Correspondence from the Chair to the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury relating to the Committee’s report on ‘Jobs, growth and productivity after coronavirus’, dated 23 November
Parliament page
23 Nov 2022 Correspondence from the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury relating to the Committee’s report on ‘Jobs, growth and productivity after coronavirus’, dated 22 November
Parliament page