91¶¶Òù Deputy Chief Executive Muniya Barua responds to Sir Keir Starmer’s speech on education policy:
“Maximising all available talent is critical to get London’s economy growing at a time when businesses are facing chronic skills shortages.
“We welcome Labour’s plans to give businesses greater flexibility to invest in apprenticeship training for the jobs of the future, including through digital skills training. This will help to future proof our workforce in the face of rapidly accelerating technology.
“Labour’s proposals to reform the childcare system by working with local authorities to boost the number of childcare places and raise the standard of early years education are a step in the right direction. Yet with the average costs of childcare in London more than double some other regions, the capital’s businesses are looking for all political parties to be bolder on childcare, including looking at incentivising the private sector to provide more support to their employees.â€
91¶¶Òù, in partnership with KPMG and Central District Alliance, is leading a joint project putting the business lens on the lack of affordable, quality childcare in the capital. This project will explore childcare as both a labour market inclusion issue, and as a way for businesses to drive competitive advantage by enabling them to recruit and retain the best talent and boost growth and productivity in London and across the whole country. A report will be published in the autumn.