Campaigns Roundup - 30 August

Autumn is just around the corner, though you might be forgiven for feeling rather shortchanged by the summer we were dealt. We’ve had our last bank holiday until Christmas, kids go back to school next week, and fresh from his first holiday in four years, the Prime Minister and MPs will make their way back to Parliament on Monday. They’re only back for two weeks before Conference recess kicks in, but it’ll be a busy one with what now looks like a mini reshuffle (replacing Defence Secretary Ben Wallace) top of the PMs to do list. Then all eyes will be on party conferences with the Conservatives unusually holding their conference first. This is likely to be the first time we’ll get any real detail about what might be coming in party manifestos – the REC will be in Manchester and Liverpool to hear developments firsthand and ensure the voice of our industry is well represented.  

It’s been a rather busy summer for the Campaigns team as we look ahead to conferences, an Autumn Statement, a Kings Speech…and a General Election. Here’s a roundup of what we’ve been up to!

REC to meet with Minister on Workers Bill

As part of our ongoing work on the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill, the REC will next week be meeting with Kevin Hollinrake, Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business to discuss our concerns around the Bill. This comes off the back of multiple letters, including a joint letter signed by 12 of our largest members, seeking clarification on and raising specific concerns about time to request and who requests can be made to. We have been assured that government will work with us on the final regulations drafted for the Bill, to ensure it works as effectively as possible for our members and we will continue to engage with them on this.

Update on Social Worker Workforce Consultation

We have received an update from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the Child and family social worker workforce consultation that took place earlier this year. Because of the technical nature of the proposals considered in the consultation, the DfE have confirmed that the publication of the government response has been delayed and will not be published in September as planned. This is to allow time to fully consider the proposals. The DfE have confirmed their intention to publish their response later this year and they will continue to work on draft guidance to underpin these proposals as well. The REC remains in contact with the DfE on this and will keep members informed of any further developments regarding the government response.

REC at Party Conferences

The REC will have representatives at both the Conservative and Labour party conferences next month, taking our core messages to both parties. We are also sponsoring panel events at each conference – “How can we boost green skills and jobs and harness the opportunities of a low carbon economy?” in partnership with the Social Market Foundation at Conservative Party Conference, and “How can workforce retention in public services be improved?” in partnership with the Institute for Government at Labour Party Conference. If you're attending, please drop us a message on policy@rec.uk.com

REC joins Future of Freight Council’s People and Skills Delivery Group

Over the summer, the REC was invited to join the newly formed People and Skills Delivery Group, which will meet on a quarterly basis to identify key challenges and potential policy solutions in the driving and logistics workforce. The Department for Transport (DfT) is keen to hear more about what our members are doing to encourage more diverse talent across the sector. Please email Usman on Usman.Ali@rec.uk.com if you have initatives or case studies to share. 

NHS Framework Legal Challenge

Following conversations with members in the health sector regarding framework price caps, the REC is seeking legal views on whether there are grounds for requesting variation of the framework agreements to get around the issue of ongoing price caps. Conversations between the REC and a legal firm are ongoing as we identify various grounds under which the frameworks may no longer be fit for purpose. We will update members as conversations progress.

REC Equality Diversity and Inclusion Summit

Later this year the REC will be hosting its inaugural Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Summit. Taking place on 28 November at the Novotel London Tower Bridge, this will be our first ever in-person event dedicated to EDI in the Recruitment Industry. The event will feature panel discussions with industry leaders and business representatives on the current state of EDI in the recruitment industry, the challenges it faces, and how recruiters and their clients can work together to foster more inclusive recruitment. There will be plenty of networking time so you can discuss your thoughts and ideas with other like-minded individuals as you carry on your EDI journey. 

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) Update 

The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce recently unveiled its LSIP, bringing together employers’ views, local authority investment plans, and granular data analysis on vacancies and skills requirements, to highlight current and future skills shortages in the region. If you need any support with LSIPs, finding out what they are and how to get involved, please email Usman on Usman.Ali@rec.uk.com. You can read more about the Manchester LSIP here.

Research Corner

The REC’s latest Labour Market Tracker shows that the number of active job adverts is 60% up on this time last year, a rise that shows the unrelenting pressure of labour shortages on UK organisations. No region saw a decline in job adverts in the week of 7-13 August 2023 as compared to the previous week (31 July-6 August 2023). The number of monthly active job postings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2022-2023 has followed a generally similar shallow up and down trend in their respective nations to 2021-22. In contrast, Scotland has seen a significant fall in active job postings in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22.

Look out for our upcoming Report on Jobs which will be published on 8 September!