Women in the Workplace

Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I did not quote that figure; it was the noble Lord, Lord Beecham. However, I recognise that those are the figures. This Government must balance the reduction of the deficit and growing the economy. Everyone has to play their part.

[Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville (Con)]

My Lords, does my noble friend recall that the only occasion on which the wartime coalition Government were defeated on the Floor of the House of Commons between 1939 and 1945 was on an amendment to Mr Butler’s Education Act 1944 to the effect that, after the war, women teachers should be paid as much as male teachers? That amendment was moved by the late noble kinsman of my noble friend Lord Eccles. It was carried by one vote, but it was carried by Conservative votes.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

My noble friend will appreciate that I do not remember it, but he demonstrates, as always, a very good point.