Ministers are considering a shake-up of the government's Social Mobility Commission (SMC), with options ranging from strengthening its powers to abolishing it entirely. This move follows concerns that the watchdog, originally conceived in 2010, has become ineffective.
Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson and others reportedly believe that improving social mobility should be a core government function, rather than being handled by arm's-length bodies like the SMC. The commission's sole statutory responsibility is to produce an annual report on social mobility in the UK, evaluating opportunities and inequalities.
The SMC was initially conceived as the Child Poverty Commission in 2010, but its focus on child poverty is believed to have been diluted under subsequent governments. A Whitehall source stated that reducing inequality and supporting working-class communities is central to the current government's agenda, and that tracking progress is important, but the work should be a core government function.
Any changes would require new legislation to disband the organisation, which is set out in statute. Announcements regarding potential changes are expected over the course of the current parliamentary term.