DWP Select Committee and BEIS Select Committee Meeting Mathew Taylor Wednesday 11 October 2017

Following the publication of Good Work: the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices, the DWP Select Committee and BEIS Select Committee will be holding a joint hearing with its author, Matthew Taylor, on the morning of Wednesday 11 October 2017 [timing tbc].

The Committees will question Mr Taylor on his recent report on modern working practices, including how the Government should act to ensure rights and fair pay for gig economy workers.

The Taylor Review examined the implications of new forms of work on the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers, and this session will build on the related work of the previous BEIS Committee’s inquiry into the Future World of Work and the Rights of Workers, and the previous Work & Pensions Committee report and inquiry into Self-Employment and the Gig Economy.

The Committees are expected to cover areas including employment status, support for the self-employed, flexibility for workers and employers, National Insurance Contributions and welfare state entitlements for the self-employed and the role and impact of enforcement of existing employment laws. Ahead of the Government’s formal response to the Taylor Review, the Committees will consider what legislative and other changes could be made to secure the rights of workers and a flexible economy.

Frank Field MP, Chair of the Work & Pensions Committee, said: “I hope our follow-up inquiry with Matthew Taylor on his report will tease out the areas where new legislation is needed. I would hope also that the Prime Minister, in thinking about how minority governments are successful if they are bold, might then suggest that the two select committees take the legislation through the House of Commons as private members’ bills, and give them the time and protection they need to pass safely through the House, while she gets on with Brexit.”

Rachel Reeves MP, Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, said: “Reform is needed now to make sure gig economy workers are not exploited. This session offers the opportunity to explore how the right reforms can be swiftly put in place to ensure workers get the protection and employment rights they deserve. As a Committee we want to examine the self-employment model, how the Taylor recommendations would affect the companies and workers involved, and what action Government needs to take to ensure the system is fair to workers, taxpayers and to businesses.”

ABC Note: We are talking to Mathew Taylor in November. Mr Taymor is at this event:

Event to be held at the following time, date and location:

Tuesday, 19 September 2017 from 08:30 to 10:30 (BST)

Work Foundation
21 Palmer Street
SW1H 0AD London
United Kingdom

Achieving more Good Work in the 21st century

Why is Good Work still important to a modern economy and what actions do we need to take if we are really going to achieve it in scale in the UK? These are the questions we will consider in a discussion led by Matthew Taylor on the back of his recent review of modern ways of working published in July. This session forms the second event in the Work Foundation’s seminar series this autumn, in partnership with Lancaster University, and is a great opportunity to contribute to our ongoing Commission on Good Work, concerned with how to enhance better working practices that make the most of people. Whilst many of the issues are not new, what this session can bring is insights about what we can do differently to really make a difference now?

The Taylor Review, which was commissioned last year by the Prime Minister, has inevitably ebbed and flowed across a variety of employment issues over the last few months, from futuristic debates around the impact of technology and advances in innovation to specific measures, around tax, employment rights and employee representation. Yet one core theme has been consistent throughout. How do we support businesses to create more Good Work?

Matthew Taylor has established a Good Work campaign in the UK, to develop a national strategy that can spread and share good practice amongst responsible businesses so Good Work is experienced in future by the many rather than the few. So how can we build on this campaign beyond the review and turn it into action? In this seminar we will ask the OECD to provide insights and lessons for the UK, drawing on international best practice as they develop a new Job Strategy across their 34 member countries, to support better employment opportunities world wide. Additionally, we will hear through Richard Baker, from BAe systems, about Sir Charlie Mayfield’s business-led Productivity Leadership Group, and how it intends to inspire more businesses in the UK to pursue productivity enhancing practices through people.

Following initial presentations and discussion amongst the panel, we will open up the debate, providing an opportunity for you to interact with speakers and other delegates via a Q&A; session.

Duration and timing:

19th September - Work Foundation, 21 Palmer Street, London, SW1H 0AD

08.30 Arrival and networking

09.00 Presentations begin

09:40  Q&A; and open debate

10:30 Close

Confirmed Speakers

• Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, RSA
• Mark Keese, Head of the Employment Analysis and Policy Division, OECD
• Richard Baker, shadow CEO of Productivity Leadership Group (Be The Business)

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