The debate over whether the reset of the relationship between the EU and UK is good for the UK or not will continue for a while. However looking more closely at what has been agreed – at least in principle – there is some good news for some male dominated sectors of the economy as the chart below shows.
The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (SPS) on food and agriculture will aim to benefit that sector making exporting easier and growth more likely. The government claims that it will mean £9bn to the UK economy by 2040 and would redress the 21% drop in exports and 7% drop in imports seen since Brexit.
The linking of UK and EU emissions trading schemes also aims to help give the UK steel industry a fighting chance of growing and the deal on defence should help increase investment in and spending on UK defence industries.
In all of these industries jobs are male dominated. Given, as we stated in the CPRMB’s Missing Men report that to reach an overall 80% employment rate there needs to be a male employment rate of 83%, this reset could help more men into jobs. We will be monitoring the impact of the UK/EU reset on male employment in the years ahead.
Written by Nick Isles (Director, Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys)
Source: Office for National Statistics
