IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed, has welcomed Business Secretary Vince Cable’s call for more spending to support training and infrastructure.
In a speech in the City, Cable said the next government must relax stringent Whitehall spending budgets to support infrastructure and training and attacked the ‘archaic’ way public spending is controlled. Andy Chamberlain, Deputy Director of Policy and External Affairs, said: “The Business Secretary’s call for more spending on training and infrastructure will be welcomed by the UK’s 4.5 million independent professionals and self-employed. These businesses are vital to the economy, and the next government must invest to create an environment in which they can flourish. Ahead of the election we hope to see all parties commit to delivering vital physical and digital infrastructure. As well as building roads and railways, digital connectivity is imperative for allowing freelancers to work on the move, delivering the flexibility and innovation that must be at the heart of our economy.” Chamberlain also outlined the need to invest in training for the self-employed: “The tax treatment of training for the self-employed must also be tackled, ensuring a level playing field. This will allow individuals to expand their skills and grow their businesses. This pro-business message from the Liberal Democrats is encouraging but we hope to see more support for microbusinesses from the party ahead of the general election. With their backing for enterprise and removing unnecessary regulation, the Liberal Democrats should be more vocal in getting behind independent professionals.”
Shaw Trust supports International Women’s Day and the work of the United Nations to tackle inequality across the world.Last year, Shaw Trust helped 2,215 disabled women into employment. We recognise how important it is to raise the confidence of people who have been unemployed for a significant amount of time. Through our employment support centres across the UK, we work with disabled and long-term unemployed women to improve their skills and confidence so they are ready to enter the workplace. We are focused on breaking down barriers that prevent women from achieving their career potential.Shaw Trust also supports the Department for Work and Pensions’ #notjustforboys campaign, which is encouraging women to compete for the top jobs across all employment sectors. It is important that we encourage greater diversity in the workplace and ensure better representation of women not just in senior management, but across all levels of UK PLC. Britain is leading the way and more women than ever are entering employment.
Roy O’Shaughnessy, chief executive of Shaw Trust, added: “International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the issues that affect women across Britain and the world. As an organisation that helps people back into work, Shaw Trust must tackle inequality and ensure fairness when women compete for jobs across all employment sectors. Statistics show that more disabled women are entering employment, illustrating an encouraging culture change by employers and an increasing awareness of how a diverse workforce can be a major advantage in the marketplace. However, differences remain and there is still a distance to travel if we are to guarantee fairness for all in realising their full potential.”
