Warm Hubs
Debate between Baroness Scott of Bybrook and Baroness Bull(2 years, 2 months ago)
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Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
The noble Baroness is right: we must never forget the private sector. We talk a lot about the public sector, the voluntary sector and the faith sector, but there is always the private sector. The private sector is getting energy bill relief from the Government, as are the voluntary and public sectors, so they are also getting support on their energy. I quite agree that, if we can encourage more private sector companies to look at this locally, it will help them as well as the people they support.
Baroness Bull (CB)
My Lords, given that my question earlier was about joining up, will the Minister answer the same question I asked her colleague from DCMS? What can the Government do to encourage and incentivise local authorities, statutory providers, faith organisations, the voluntary sector and the cultural sector, including libraries, to work together to maximise this kind of provision and make sure that it is advertised and made available to those people in the community who need it the most?
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)
I do not think we are starting from the beginning. I googled “warm hubs” today, and I suggest that noble Lords do the same. Across the whole country, these partnerships are happening now. I spoke to the chairman of the Local Government Association last night, and I encouraged it to ensure best practice—this is now happening with our partners in faith and other community groups and the private sector—and to put that information out so that all local authorities do it. Look at Leeds. Today it has put out a map of where all its warm hubs are in the city. That is a wonderful idea and should be taken up by others.
Covid-19: Department for Work and Pensions Update
Debate between Baroness Scott of Bybrook and Baroness Bull
Baroness Scott of Bybrook
I thank the noble Lord. I will get him the numbers of enforcement actions, which I do not have in my briefing pack, but if there have been any I will certainly let him know. However, much of what we are doing is in guidance and we are a country that works by consensus. It would be more difficult, and I think we would have to have more legislation, if we were to place a much stronger effect on any employer who does not comply with the guidance.
My Lords, I am going to go and turn my light on, but the noble Baroness, Lady Bull, should go on.
Baroness Bull (CB)
My Lords, perhaps we might have some light shed on whether any consideration has been given to a job retention scheme that operates on the basis of a part-time furlough. This would maximise the work that people can carry out during this period and support longer-term viability. It will be particularly important in the recovery period for those businesses which have to wait for other businesses to gear up. In the creative industries, for instance, post-production or special effects companies cannot fully get back to work until filming has started and content has been made. Might part-time furloughing be one way to address this?
Gender Pay Gap
Debate between Baroness Scott of Bybrook and Baroness Bull
Baroness Scott of Bybrook
The Government ran a consultation from October 2018 to January 2019 on ethnicity pay reporting and received more than 300 detailed responses. They have since met with businesses and organisation representatives to understand the barriers to reporting and what information they could still publish to allow for meaningful action to be taken on the findings of that consultation. The Government have also run voluntary methodology testing with a broad range of businesses, using real payroll data better to understand the complexities outlined in the consultation. We will share the next steps on this in due course.
Baroness Bull (CB)
My Lords, the right to equal pay for equal work is enshrined in the Equality Act 2010, but there is currently no formal route by which women can obtain information about a male comparator’s pay. To obtain this information, they need to embark on a complex and often expensive legal battle; many women, of course, do not want to do this. Does the Minister agree that, in addition to the right to equal pay for equal work, women should also have the right to know?
Baroness Scott of Bybrook
Yes, women need to have the right to know, but this is a very difficult thing for the Government to deal with because people also have the right not to have their pay in the public domain. The Government are looking at this and further proposals will come forward, including in the employment Bill, which will be introduced in due course.