Corby MP Lee Barron given top job in influential Parliamentary committee that will look at ways to modernise UK employment

Former Trade Union Council regional secretary Lee Barron, who was elected as the constituency Labour MP in June, has been selected to lead the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modernising Employment (MODE).

APPGs don’t have decision-making powers, but they can inform policy decision-makers and scrutinise the work of Parliament.

The cross-party group is made up of Members of Parliament and the House of Lords who share an interest in understanding how the UK can become the world’s most attractive labour market, driving growth and levelling the playing field for all.

“It is a real honour to be asked to chair this important and influential committee of cross-party MPs and peers,” said Mr Barron

“Our work is already underway as we focus on key issues impacting employment in the UK including making us the worlds fastest place to hire people, improve opportunities for all in the labour market, harnessing the latest technology and making our regulation the smartest in the world.”

Before entering Parliament Lee had a career focused on supporting workers in employment and was most recently the Regional Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the Midlands.

Lee added: “Corby and East Northamptonshire is home to some of the most hardworking men and women and some of the most entrepreneurial businesses in the UK.”

“This new role will mean they have a member of parliament who is leading the work to empower them to be more successful than ever.”

Under the chairmanship of Lee, the APPG has published a new report called ‘Employ with Conviction: Improving the hiring of people with convictions.’

“Worryingly past criminal convictions still present a very real barrier to people wanting to move on with their life and get good work,” he said in the foreword to the national

report.

“Studies consistently show that too many employers still use past convictions as a reason not to employ someone, irrespective of the relevance of the criminal record. To boost

economic growth and help more people into work it is essential we remove the unnecessary barriers holding people back.”

“In this important report we are asking employers to use ‘Employ with Conviction’ to ensure they have a fair and ethical hiring process for everyone.”

“Hiring people with convictions is not a social responsibility, it’s a business benefit so employers have access to the best talent available for the job.”

Lee sits alongside Conservative MP Joe Robertson, Labour MP Bambos Charalambous, Conservative peer Lord Lucas as well deputy leader of the Liberal

Democrats Daisy Cooper MP and Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell MP.