New inquiry into labour shortages launched

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has put a call out for written evidence to support its new inquiry into recent trends in UK the labour market. Find out how you can have your say.

The UK labour market has undergone some major changes in recent years, with vacancies at a record high and above pre-pandemic levels in all areas of industry. Hospitality has been particularly badly affected, with the ONS reporting 174,000 job vacancies in the sector between May and March this year.

This unprecedented staffing crisis has led to some businesses adjusting their trading hours or reducing their capacity. In fact, a new survey carried out by Trade body UK Hospitality in partnership with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), estimates that the current crisis is causing the UK hospitality industry to lose £21 billion in trade, as well as an estimated £5bn in tax for the Exchequer.

Now, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee wants to find out more about the causes of the reduction in the size of the labour force and which sectors are most affected. Therefore, they are inviting written submissions from interested individuals and organisations, which answer the following questions.

• What are the recent trends in labour supply? How large are reductions in the size of the labour force?

• Which sectors and regions are most affected? Are the public and private sectors affected differently?

• Which people have been leaving the labour market? What is the socio-economic and demographic breakdown?What factors are contributing to reductions in the size of the labour force?

• What effect are wage levels having on the supply of labour?

• How do recent changes in the UK’s labour supply compare with those in other developed countries?

If you're interested in participating, the deadline for written evidence submissions is Friday 23 September 2022 and they can be uploaded here. The Committee is looking to hear from as diverse a range of views as possible so if you think someone you know would have an interest in contributing to the inquiry, please forward this article on.

#hospitality #labourshortage #staffingcrisis