Chamber and committees

We should remember that we are focusing on the inactive retired.

Good morning, and welcome to the 25th meeting in 2022 of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee. We have received apologies from Murdo Fraser.

This morning we will continue our inquiry into the impact of the pandemic on the Scottish labour market. Joining us online are Marek Zemanik, senior policy advisor, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development; and Bee Boileau, research economist, and Jonathan Cribb, associate director, Institute for Fiscal Studies. Joining us in person are David Fairs, executive director of regulatory policy, analysis and advice, the Pensions Regulator; and Dr Liz Cameron CBE, director and chief executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce. Welcome.

Thank you for giving us your time this morning and for your recent written submissions. We estimate that this session will run up to 10.20. Each member will have around 11 minutes to speak to the witnesses and to ask their questions. Members, you should please catch my eye if you have a question before your slot.

If witnesses attending remotely would like to respond to an issue that is being discussed, they should please type R in the chat box and we will bring them in. I am keen to ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to speak. I apologise in advance that, if time runs on too much, I might have to interrupt members or witnesses in the interest of brevity.

I ask that the witnesses introduce themselves, starting with David Fairs.

I call Bee Boileau. Can you hear me, Bee? Would you like to introduce yourself?

I think that there might be a technical issue, so I will move on to Marek Zemanik.

Is that Chris Brodie wanting to come in?

The profile of the topic has been raised during the past 18 to 24 months, and we have to do a bit more work on it.

One of the things that we have touched on this morning and during the course of the inquiry is the financial implications that the cost of living crisis will have for people who are not earning money and are retired. Has Skills Development Scotland seen an increase in requests for skills training for older demographics to reflect changing ways of working, such as flexibility and hybrid-model working, following the pandemic?

During the inquiry, we have learned that there has always been an element of inactivity in the workforce—people who were just not going to work. Is there any opportunity to connect with people who might be a bit older and have never worked but who, now that there is some flexibility, might want to train through modern apprenticeships through Skills Development Scotland?

Fantastic. Did you hear the previous question that I asked Jonathan Cribb? I do not know whether you want to add anything to what he said.

Okay. It is great that you are with us at the moment.

I move on to Dr Liz Cameron, who is from the Scottish Chambers of Commerce. Do you think that the pandemic and the disruption to education has had an impact on the pipeline for the skills that employers need now or in the near future?

Thank you. I will bring in Jim Fairlie.

Sure.