In profile: Mims Davies MP, Employment Minister, Department for Work and Pensions

Working first for the AA as a road safety communications officer, she went on to work with the Sussex Safer Road Partnership, a role she “absolutely loved”, where one of the big focuses around safety was driving for work, alongside drink-drive campaigns, drug driving, speeding and seatbelt use.

“It was only coming into politics and juggling everything else that meant I couldn’t continue,” she said, “but I’d go back there in a hearbeat. It was a brilliant job.”

POLITICAL CAREER

Davies was appointed Minister for Sport, Civil Society and Loneliness in Theresa May’s government in 2018, but after Boris Johnson reshuffled the government in the summer of 2019, she became Employment Minister at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

“When the Prime Minister asked me to come and do this job,” she said, “it’s unusual when you’ve got an amazing job such as Sports and Charities Minister to find that what you’re going to is equally as appealing but he asked me to really focus on the barriers and progression challenges that people have.”

This includes ensuring people with a BAME background, women, people with disabilities or who are carers themselves get the opportunity to progress at work. Another focus is on women returners. “I’m frankly one of those as well,” she said, “I really do understand that.”

MINISTERIAL REMIT

As Employment Minister, the day-to-day operations of the UK’s national network of 639 Job Centres sits with Davies. When she was appointed to the role in 2019, the UK was going through what she describes as a “job miracle”, with the lowest unemployment figure for 45 years.

“So it was really about making sure that people who hadn’t progressed at that point were able to progress,” she said.

Now many people coming into the hands of DWP hail from the business sectors most impacted by the pandemic like aviation, leisure and hospitality – people who never expected to be out of work.

Consequently, Davies’ role has evolved from helping people to progress to helping people to switch to new sectors.

“Particularly into logistics,” she said, “where there are loads of opportunities and a huge amount of need. This is a great opportunity for people to pivot into this sector.”

SUPPORTING THE LOGISTICS SECTOR

The government’s Plan for Jobs includes a mixture of interventions. Chief among them is a scheme called SWAPs (Sector-based Work Academy Programmes), which can last up to six weeks.

“You get a chance to meet your employer, learn about that sector and potential employer and have a guaranteed job interview at the end of it,” Davies said.

Those placed in the hospitality sector would get the chance to earn a hygiene certificate, for example, while those in construction could apply for a CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) card.

“It’s a wonderful way to really help people to understand what that job entails and how they can bring their skills into that new sector, or learn about the skills that they need,” she said.

Davies cites a project in South Lanarkshire, where the local Jobcentres have been working with JBT Distribution to give people who are HGV drivers or non-HGV drivers the opportunity to join the team. Another example of a SWAP intervention is where DWP is giving jobseekers the opportunity to train and learn to help them work in logistics at the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

“It all links together,” she said, “so that people, particularly those who have been impacted by the pandemic, get that opportunity to understand who’s hiring and what they need to be doing or thinking about to go into that sector.”

ATTRACTING YOUNG TALENT

As has been widely reported, young people have been particularly affected by the downturn in job opportunities following the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the government has launched its Kickstart Scheme, which is open to 16-24 year olds, who are claiming Universal Credit.

“I know that the logistics sector has been brilliant in getting involved in this and there are placements available,“ Davies said. “So a guaranteed role for up to six months with wraparound support. It’s a chance for young people to get that first rung on the employment ladder because we know with the pandemic it’s young people who’ve been most impacted by the opportunities that just haven’t been there when they’ve finished college or come out of uni.”

FURLOUGH SUPPORT

The economic pain caused by the pandemic has been widespread if unevenly distributed, and logistics has not proved immune. Parts of the sector, particularly those that serve the high street retail, leisure and hospitality sectors have been disproportionately affected, resulting in their high usage of furlough. Does the Minister believe that this support has helped logistics businesses bridge the gap between lockdown and the hoped-for full opening up of the economy?

“It’s been absolutely key to keep people close to their jobs, to keep them in their homes, protect those roles and so have a chance to fight back against the virus,” Davies said.

Paying tribute to logistics and warehouse workers, particularly those involved in food retail and the vaccine distribution, she said the government now want as many people back in the sector as soon as possible.

“The benefit of furlough has been there for all to see,” Davies said. “Those people who have been working and able to work have been working harder and longer and so I think it’s really important that people do consider a career in logistics.

“So as many people as we can get back into their workplace safely as soon as possible and thriving again. As Employment Minister I’m really determined and really hopeful that we will see this soon.”

FILLING HARD-TO-FILL VACANCIES

Logistics UK’s Performance Tracker Surveys have revealed that HGV driver and mechanic vacancies are among the hardest to fill. How will the government’s campaign to encourage people to reskill after the pandemic help the logistics industry to recruit for these roles?

“Coming into the pandemic, it was clear that we needed more people in this area,” Davies said.

DWP has been working with logistics giant Eddie Stobart, using its Flexible Support Fund (FSF), which is a fund offered by local Jobcentres at the discretion of their staff.

“We know that this particular area is really important,” Davies said, “so we’re determined to make sure that if there are vacancies out there and our jobseekers are keen to go into that area then we’re able to help them.

“We’re tailoring our support services through DWP to make sure that where there are vacancies and opportunities, our claimants are supported to be able to go for those vacancies.” 

APPRENTICESHIP SUPPORT

In the Budget, the Chancellor announced the government’s support for apprenticeships and traineeships for higher skilled Level 3 roles, but left out operational roles such as HGV drivers and warehouse operators, which tend to be categorised as Level 2 roles. Why is it that these roles do not receive the same level of government support?

“It's something that employers have fed back to us and of course that key extra £3,000 for an apprentice is really helpful to help people recruit, and we know that traineeships and apprenticeships are really helpful in terms of businesses all different shapes and sizes,” Davies said.

The Minister has been in discussions with the Department for Education (DfE) to make sure that all the different levels of job are supported, using schemes like the Flexible Support Fund. She cites another government scheme: DWP Train and Progress, where a jobseeker can stay on benefit while doing full-time work-related training to move into a particular role.

“We’re being as agile as possible,” she said, “but I do recognise of course that making sure all levels are supported is important and that’s why we’re engaging with DfE and across government on that.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Unemployment is currently at 5.1% according to the Office for National Statistics and the Bank of England has predicted it will reach between 6 and 8% this year. Looking ahead, how optimistic is the Minister about the prospects for the UK employment market?

“I think the Bank of England recognised earlier this week the mitigations that the government has been putting in place. I mean it’s a £400 billion response to the pandemic which has frankly only been facilitated by prudence over the last ten years.”

Davies argues that it has been an uneven employment picture across the COVID economy, with some areas thriving while others like weddings and events are showing pent-up demand.

“There’s lots of people who post-virus or certainly post-vaccination just want to get on with their lives,” she said. “So what we can hopefully do is continue to steer this course back to thriving and back to prosperity, alongside our Plan for Jobs.”

“We know that in certain areas whether it’s driving, whether it’s warehousing, there are roles out there for people. They might not be your dream roles, it might not be where you want to be long term but actually lots of people from other sectors have come into logistics and really made a difference in the pandemic by getting to the coalface and helping people.”

In the face of what looks set to be a steep rise in unemployment, Davies remains cautiously optimistic.

“I think there’s a great opportunity here to bounce back,” she said. “Don’t underestimate the challenge that it’s going to take for some sectors to restart and to be back thriving and of course at DWP that’s why we’ve got more Jobcentres, more work coaches to help people to find areas where they can use their skills and bring them into new sectors, while their normal sector takes a while to bounce back.”

She ends her interview with Logistics Magazine on a note of gratitude to those who have worked in logistics through the pandemic and kept the economy flowing: “Thank you to everybody in the area who’s done such a good job supporting many, many communities,” she said, “It’s gratefully received.”

*www.logistics.org.uk/coronavirus

Published On: 18/03/2021 17:00:35

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