Economics professor appointed to new UK Government Labour Market Advisory Board
Professor Stuart McIntyre, Department of Economics, has been appointed to the UK Government’s new Labour Market Advisory Board. Stuart will be supporting the Department of Work and Pensions in developing policies to tackle key challenges and build a more resilient labour market.
The Board has been launched to advise Government on getting Britian working again following spiralling economic inactivity and hundreds of thousads more people out of work due to long-term sickness since the pandemic.
Those on the board will help share government work ahead of a White Paper this autumn.
The Board – made up of labour market experts from across business, industrial relations and academia - met with the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP for the first time earlier this month (September 9).
At this first meeting, members offered new approaches to shape Government work on economic inactivity, tackling the root causes for people remaining out of work such as poor physical and mental health, and how the group can help the government reach its ambition of an 80 per cent employment rate.
The Board will develop new ideas and initiatives for the Work and Pensions Secretary to consider as she sets about bringing down the levels of economic inactivity, with the UK being the only G7 country whose employment and inactivity rates haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP, said, “Spiralling inactivity is the greatest employment challenge for a generation, with a near record 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness.
“Addressing these challenges will take time, but we’re going to fix the foundations of the economy and tackle economic inactivity.
“The board’s knowledge, expertise and insight will help us to rebuild Britain as we deliver our growth mission, drive up opportunity and make every part of the country better off.”
Professor McIntyre said, “I am delighted to have been asked to join the UK Government’s new Labour Market Advisory Board and to support the Department for Work and Pensions in developing policies to tackle key challenges and build a more resilient labour market. There’s certainly going to be lots of work ahead, but I’m excited to be part of this new advisory board.”
The other members of the Board are: Paul Gregg (Chair), Former Director of the Centre for Analysis of Social Policy at the University of Bath; Stephen Machin, Professor of Economics and Director, London School of Economics; Lindsey Macmillan, Professor of Economics, Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities; Gavin Kelly, Executive Chair, Resolution Foundation; Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and Economics, Health Foundation; Ruby McGregor Smith, House of Lord; and Nicola Smith, Head of Rights, International, Social and Economics Department, TUC.
Published: 17 September 2024
