Member News
13th July 2009Promoting skills for retail employees will be key to helping the sector emerge from the recession, the business minister has said.
At a meeting of the all-party retail group last Thursday, Ian Lucas acknowledged that it is a "hugely difficult time for the retail sector".
But he said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would be "acting to protect business", including the retail sector.
The minister said the department would take "an active role", while the government "is doing all it can to mitigate this difficult economic time we face".
And he added: "In the retail sector it is very important to maintain skills."
Also speaking at the event, Jane Milne, director of business environment for the British Retail Consortium, said it was the wish of retailers to "maintain as many skilled staff as possible".
Despite the economic downturn, Milne stated, the last year has seen almost two-thirds of retail staff undertake some form of training.
And many companies are developing vocational qualifications," she added.
Milne also spoke of the need to "challenge the perception" that retail jobs are not "proper jobs".
There were also calls for the government to reconsider the planned reinstatement of the 17.5 per cent VAT rate at the start of next year.
Milne backed "a light touch approach to enforcement", noting it would take the retail sector "time to adjust" to the change.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd