Today I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) London Inquiry into Productivity, where the discussion focused on innovation, scaling up and the conditions needed to drive economic growth across the capital.

It was an encouraging conversation in many respects. Panellists spoke about skills shortages, the mismatch between the supply and demand of specialist labour, the importance of embedding inclusivity from the outset, mitigating against the rising inequality that a lot of productive growth, if left unchecked, can produce, and the role of devolved decision-making in shaping local growth. There was also a recognition that structural issues such as transport and education continue to affect productivity.

One comment particularly stood out. Rather than aiming for every postcode to experience productive growth, one speaker suggested the real ambition should be that every postcode experiences the benefits of productive growth.

That feels like an important distinction. Growth is only meaningful if the opportunities and rewards are shared.
Throughout the discussion, there were repeated references to young people and ensuring they have access to the skills and opportunities needed for the future economy. Yet one group was largely absent from the conversation: women.

This matters because productivity isn't simply about innovation, technology or skills pipelines. It's also about who is able to participate fully in the economy in the first place.

For many women, the barriers to employment, progression and entrepreneurship aren't primarily about aspiration or qualifications. They're structural. Affordable childcare remains out of reach for many families. Evidence shows that women with children are significantly less likely to be in work in London than elsewhere in the UK, with an employment rate of 55% compared to 69% nationally. Women continue to undertake the majority of unpaid care work. Too many workplaces deny flexible working requests. Violence against women affects women's safety, health, confidence and economic participation. £14 billion is lost to time off work and lost productivity. There aren't peripheral issues. They're economic ones. 

If these barriers aren't addressed, strategies to improve productivity risk benefiting those who already have the greatest capacity to take advantage of new opportunities. 

We often hear discussions about encouraging more girls into STEM subjects or promoting careers in high-growth sectors. Those initiatives have value. But they can't, on their own, solve labour shortages or close skills gaps. If a woman can't access affordable childcare, can't find flexible work, or is navigating abuse or caring responsibilities, greater awareness of career opportunities is unlikely to change her ability to participate.

In other words, improving access matters just as much as promoting opportunity.

A genuinely inclusive productivity strategy would treat these issues as foundational rather than secondary. Investment in childcare, support for carers, flexible working, safe public transport, and effective action to tackle violence against women and girls shouldn't be viewed solely as social policy. They're investments in economic capacity.

If London wants to unlock its full productive potential, it can't afford to overlook half of its population. We said as much in our written submission to the Committee.

The APPG discussion rightly recognised that inequality matters and that the benefits of growth should be shared. The next step is ensuring that women are explicitly centred in that conversation. Productivity isn't just about creating opportunities; it's about removing the barriers that prevent people from taking them.

Until those structural barriers are addressed, inclusive growth will remain an aspiration rather than a reality.

June 2026

Photo Credit: - London Councils