International Women’s Day
Debate between Baroness Prosser and Baroness Blake of Leeds
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)
I thank the noble Baroness for her question. Of course, the normal issues will be covered by my noble friend Lord Collins in this House and by Minister Malhotra in the other House. One of the important aspects of the commission is that, as well as the high-level ministerial input, there will be a large civil society presence, which I believe is the way forward, demonstrating just how gender equality fits into the UK’s modernised approach to development, broadening partnerships with the global South to counter the rollback of rights, as she quite rightly highlights, and building the effectiveness of international delivery on the Government’s mission. Ensuring a gender lens will be crucial to our leadership in this space, and the commission will give us the opportunity to meet with other participants and discuss how we move forward in this very difficult global time.
Baroness Prosser (Lab)
My Lords, I will bring the Question back to its original point about equal pay. Under the last Labour Government, we had a very successful co-operative association with employers across many sectors, where it was agreed—and, indeed, it happened—that many women were reskilled and upskilled to bring them into a position of being able to earn more money and go up the ladder. Have the Government got any plans to take positive action in that way? Without positive action, nothing is going to happen.
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)
My noble friend raises a very important point. I do not have the exact details in front of me on the issue she raised and where it is going to go next. I know that she will be critical as we take the Employment Rights Bill forward, and she will make sure that the concerns she has are absolutely front and centre of the work that we do.