Agenda and minutes
Economy Committee - Tuesday 2 March 2021 10.00 am

To receive any apologies for absence and any announcements from the Chair.

1.1  The Chair explained that, in accordance with Standing Order 8.2, Siân Berry AM had been invited to attend the meeting as an observer and participate in the discussion with invited guests at Item 7.

1.2  In accordance with Government regulations, the meeting was being held on a virtual basis, with Assembly Members and guests participating remotely.

1.3  Before continuing with formal business of the Committee, the Chair extended thanks to Susan Hall AM and Caroline Russell AM who had also chaired the Economy Committee during the 2016-2021 term. The Chair also thanked Shaun Bailey AM for his work as Deputy Chairman of the Committee in the 2020/21 Assembly year, and Daniel Tattersall, Senior Policy Adviser, and team for supporting the Committee’s work.

1.4  Caroline Russell AM thanked Léonie Cooper AM for sitting as Chair of the Economy Committee for two years, and recognised the importance of the Committee’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiona Twycross, Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience and former Assembly Member, was also thanked for chairing the Committee during the first year of the term.

1.5  The Clerk read a roll-call of Assembly Members who were participating. No apologies for absence were received.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Lauren Harvey, [email protected], 020 7983 4383

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, as disclosable pecuniary interests;

(b)  Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific items listed on the agenda and the necessary action taken by the Member(s) regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s); and

(c)  Note the declaration by any Member(s) of any other interests deemed to be relevant (including any interests arising from gifts and hospitality received which are not at the time of the meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality, and noting also the advice from the GLA’s Monitoring Officer set out at Agenda Item 2) and to note any necessary action taken by the Member(s) following such declaration(s).

2.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

2.2  Resolved:

That the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests.

The Committee is recommended to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 January 2021 to be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

3.1  Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2021 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Lauren Harvey, [email protected], 020 7983 4383

The Committee is recommended to note the completed and outstanding actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee.

4.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

4.2  Resolved:

That the completed and outstanding actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Lauren Harvey, [email protected], 020 7983 4383

The Committee is recommended to note the recent action taken by the Chair of the Economy Committee under delegated authority, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, namely to agree:

(a)  The Committee’s letter to the Mayor as an output for the meeting on the changing nature of work after COVID-19, as attached at Appendix 1; and

(b)  The Committee’s letters to London Councils, the Government and London borough Leaders requesting additional information on Universal Basic Income, as attached at Appendices 2-6.

5.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

5.2  Resolved:

That the recent action taken by the Chair of the Economy Committee under delegated authority, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, be noted, namely to agree:

(a)  The Committee’s letter to the Mayor as an output for the meeting on the changing nature of work after COVID?19, as attached at Appendix 1 of the report; and

(b)  The Committee’s letters to London Councils, the Government and London borough Leaders requesting additional information on Universal Basic Income, as attached at Appendices 2-6 of the report.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Lauren Harvey, [email protected], 020 7983 4383

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the response from the Mayor to its report, Low pay and in?work poverty, as attached at Appendix 1.

(b)  Note the response from the Mayor to its report, Has the Golden Goose become a Turkey? London’s Christmas economy and COVID?19, as attached at Appendix 2. 

6.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

6.2  Resolved:

(a)  That the response from the Mayor to its report, Low pay and in?work poverty, as attached at Appendix 1 of the report, be noted; and

(b)  That the response from the Mayor to its report, Has the Golden Goose become a Turkey? London’s Christmas economy and COVID-19, as attached at Appendix 2 of the report, be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Lauren Harvey, [email protected], 020 7983 4393

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the report as background to putting questions to invited guests, and note the subsequent discussion.

(b)  Consider the motion referred to it by the London Assembly at its meeting on 5 November 2020.

7.1  Following the Committee’s meeting on 20 January 2021, the Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat as background to the referred motion and discussion with the following invited guests:

·  Simon Duffy, Director, Centre for Welfare Reform; and

·  Alfie Stirling, Director of Research and Chief Economist, New Economics Foundation.

7.2  A transcript of the discussion is attached at Appendix 1.

7.3  At the conclusion of the discussion, the following motion, which had been referred to the Committee by the London Assembly on 5 November 2020 under Standing Order 3.13, was put to a vote:

  “This Assembly notes that: 

·  Financial security is critical to a stable and thriving society.

·  According to Trust for London close to a third of Londoners live in poverty, even before the coronavirus crisis our city had the highest poverty rates in the UK.

·  A Universal Basic Income (UBI) could help alleviate poverty, opening the door to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach, and liberate people from the anxiety of job insecurity through a monthly income regardless of employment status, wealth, or marital status. 

·  The existence of a UBI must be in addition to targeted welfare payments to those who have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Dan Tattersall, [email protected]; 07783 805825

The Committee is recommended to:

(a)  Note the report as background to putting questions to invited guests, and note the subsequent discussion; and

(b)  Delegate authority to the Chair, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree any output from the meeting. 

8.1  The Committee received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat as background to putting questions to the following invited guests:

·  Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor for Business;

·  Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement;

·  Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries;

·  Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills; and

·  Michelle Cuomo-Boorer, Assistant Director for Skills and Employment, Greater London Authority (GLA).

8.2  A transcript of the discussion is attached at Appendix 2.

8.3  During the course of the discussion, the Deputy Mayor for Business agreed to provide the Committee with:

·  The number of times the Business Advisory Board met during the 2020/21 year;

·  The amount of money that had gone through the London Economic Action Partnership to help small and medium-sized enterprises;

·  Examples of the assistance and help that had been provided to businesses;

·  Further information on how businesses in the Paddington and W2 area of the central activities zone (CAZ) were being supported;

·  The date that the final CAZ economic recovery report was due to be published;

·  A copy of the short-term Recovery Roadmap, published by the COVID Business Forum; and

·  A sector breakdown of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The London Assembly’s Annual Meeting, due to take place on 14 May 2021, will decide which Committees to establish for the 2021/22 Assembly Year and a timetable of meetings for those Committees.

9.1  The London Assembly’s Annual Meeting, due to take place on 14 May 2021, would decide which committees to establish for the 2021/22 Assembly year and a timetable of meetings for those committees.

10.1  There were no items of business that the Chair considered to be urgent.

11.1  The meeting ended at 12.58pm.