Artificial Intelligence: Impact on Employment

Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate Excerpts

Monday 13th April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

The Government recognise that entry-level roles are important for building skills and progression pathways that underpin future leadership capability. Progression to senior leadership depends not only on job numbers but on the quality of training and in-work development. The Government want everyone to have access to the best opportunities, no matter what stage they are at in their career. Through the £1.5 billion youth guarantee and the growth and skills levy, we are expanding high-quality training, apprenticeships and workplace experience so people can progress in a changing, AI-enabled labour market.

[Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Con)]

My Lords, one of the good things about the Government’s industrial strategy was the establishment of regional professional businesses and services hubs, partly to look into the provision of AI services, supported by Skills England which was to map where AI skills gaps were. Will the Minister please update us on when those hubs will be operational and when Skills England will produce their first statistics?

[Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)]

Reducing the AI skills gap and understanding the impact of the labour market’s change due to AI is indeed something that we are looking at closely. DSIT regularly reviews the AI labour market and skills gap, and we are working with Skills England to fully understand the needs. I will need to update the noble Lord on the role of the regional centres he mentions after this session.