Continued engagement with policymakers keeps HR expertise at the heart of workplace reforms

Policymakers in the UK have recognised the CIPD and its members as key stakeholders in the development of a raft of new employment legislation. 

Over the past nine months, the CIPD’s team of public policy experts has represented the views and insights of the people profession in government consultations, roundtables, tripartite meetings with government, trade unions and employer organisations, and meetings with ministers, MPs and civil servants.

The people profession is uniquely placed to advise government on the feasibility of proposed reforms and we’re proud to represent HR, L&D and OD professionals from organisations of all sectors and sizes.  No other profession has the interests of both people and business at the heart of everything we do.  

Employment Rights Bill: informing the biggest employment law reform in a generation 

The government’s flagship Employment Rights Bill (ERB) represents the most significant overhaul of employment law in decades. Recognising the critical role of the HR profession in implementing these changes, policymakers have engaged directly with the CIPD to inform key aspects of the bill. 

Since last year’s general election, we have: 

• Participated in tripartite meetings with trade unions and employer organisations. 
• Held direct discussions with ministers, MPs, and civil servants to raise members’ concerns. 
• Engaged with the employment rights minister 
• Contributed to government roundtable discussions on policy details 
• Submitted evidence and insights to official consultations. 

We’re pleased to see that consultations around the bill have already led to a raft of amendments, which were revealed at the third reading of the bill in the House of Commons on 4 March. The amendments included detail on areas like fire and rehire and how the government intend to regulate to restrict zero hours contracts for agency workers.  

We’ve also given evidence this week to the Women and Equalities Committee to inform the government’s review of the parental leave system. Whist the Employment Rights Bill is strengthening parental leave by making it a day one right, the Committee is bringing together more evidence to inform government plans for a full review of parental leave policies.  

As the bill progresses through parliament, and a second reading in the House of Lords expected on 27 March, we’ll continue to push for clarity, consultation and a detailed implementation plan. 

CIPD members can keep up to date with the latest updates and implications of the bill thanks to our handy employment law tracker.  

Supporting employment through ‘Get Britain Working’ and ‘Keep Britain Working’

The government is also prioritising measures to support more people into work, particularly young people and those with health conditions or disabilities. This began with the launch of the Get Britain Working White Paper in 2024 and is continuing with the Keep Britain Working review, led by former John Lewis boss Charlie Mayfield.   

We’ve engaged directly with the Employment Minister Alison McGovern and Charlie Mayfield on this agenda and have fed into the early stages of the Keep Britain Working review. Most recently we joined the Secretary of State Liz Kendall at the launch of the initial phase of the review, where we highlighted the role of the HR profession and key areas the government can look at to help support more people into work.  

Our recent parliamentary event on women’s health, where we were joined by Shadow Women’s Minister Mims Davies MP and Sarah Owen MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, reinforced our commitment to advocating for policies that help people to remain in the workforce for longer. 

Skills and apprenticeship reform: pushing for a workforce-ready future 

The government’s approach to skills development, including the creation of Skills England and reform of the apprenticeship levy, is a key area of focus for the CIPD and our members.  

We’ve been engaging with policymakers to ensure reforms support employers and learners alike by: 

• Meeting with the Skills Minister, Baroness Smith, and relevant departments to discuss apprenticeship policy and pre-apprenticeship training. 
• Hosting roundtable discussions between civil servants and CIPD policy forum members. 
• Co-sponsoring a report with the Youth Futures Foundation to provide evidence-based recommendations for future skills policy. 
• Connecting our members with policymakers in Westminster at a dedicated Skills Forum, which we hosted alongside the Youth Futures Foundation.

CIPD members convene in Westminster to engage with policymakers on the future of skills policy

On 25 March we hosted a Skills Forum in Westminster, alongside Youth Futures Foundation, to give our members the opportunity to engage with policymakers about the future of skills policy.  

We opened the event with an expert panel discussion with Lord Blunkett, former Secretary of State for Education and Employment; Robert Halfon, former Skills Minister; Lauren Edwards MP, co-chair of the APPG for Skills, Careers and Employment; Barry Fletcher, CEO of Youth Futures Foundation; and Lizzie Crowley, Senior Policy Adviser for skills at the CIPD.  

We followed this with roundtable discussions on:  

• the role of business in upskilling the workforce and strategic workforce planning 
• equipping young people for employment, including improved access to apprenticeships 
• how Skills England can be truly effective  
• how reform to the apprenticeship system can be made a success 
• the need for a broader industrial strategy, aligned with skills policy, to improve productivity and boost investment in skills across the whole economy 
• the need for careers guidance and education to be embedded across and throughout the whole of the curriculum. 

AI and the future of work: shaping policy on technology and skills 

The government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan has created new momentum in shaping how AI is integrated into the workplace. We are actively involved in discussions with policymakers, including: 

• Direct engagement with civil servants on AI adoption. 
• Participation in a roundtable with Feryal Clark MP, Minister for AI and Digital Government, to discuss the role of upskilling and workforce digital transformation. 

We are committed to ensuring that AI policy considers workforce impact, skills development and ethical AI implementation.  

Media and policymakers quote CIPD insights in response to Spring Statement 

Earlier this week, Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, delivered her Spring Statement. Her speech confirmed that growth forecasts will be lower for this year but government reforms to planning are set to increase growth forecasts for future years. However, her statement didn’t address many of the key challenges employers are facing.  
 
We highlighted the need for a greater focus on skills development to boost economic growth, both in advance of and in response to the statement. Whilst the Chancellor only made a very narrow commitment to increase funding for construction skills, we were pleased to see our insights quoted in the media and by Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride, in his response to the Spring Statement in the House of Commons. 

Pushing for clear implementation plans and funding commitments  

With the third reading of the Employment Rights Bill on the horizon, we’ll continue calling for commitments that support workforce development, fair employment practices and business sustainability. The passage of the Employment Rights Bill later this year will shift our focus towards implementation and secondary legislation, ensuring policies are clear and practical for employers. 

We will also continue monitoring the impacts of the National Living Wage increases, the proposed Draft Equalities Bill, and other evolving public policy issues through our regular research and employer surveys. 

Keep up to date with our work on public policy through our dedicated employment law tracker and weekly CIPD Update emails.