International Women’s Day

Baroness Lampard Excerpts

Friday 8th March 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lampard (Con)]

My Lords, I begin by welcoming the distinguished noble Baroness, Lady Casey; like others, I look forward to hearing her maiden speech. In preparing for this debate, I came across an article on the history of women’s employment in the Civil Service. I learned that it was only in 1869 that women were, for the first time, employed by the British Government. This was occasioned by the Government’s acquisition of the nascent inland telegraph industry and with it a number of female telegraphists who became employees of the General Post Office and hence civil servants.

The following year, the Postmaster General introduced women clerks elsewhere in the organisation. In summarising his reasons for this, he said that “They”—by which he meant women—

“take more kindly than men or boys to sedentary employment and are more patient during long confinement to one place … Women are less disposed to get together to extort higher wages … Women will not require increases related to length of service as they will retire for the purpose of getting married as soon as they get the chance … There will also be fewer women than men on the pension list”.

I was led to the conclusion that he did not get the memo about the financial inclusion of women, but he had opened the door for more women to attain higher-status employment.

However, married women were still disbarred from working in the Civil Service. The marriage bar was not abolished until 1946 for the home Civil Service and, amazingly as it may seem, 1973 for the foreign service. Of course, as has already been pointed out by the noble Baroness, Lady Gale, it was only during my childhood in the 1970s that legislation was passed making it unlawful to discriminate against women in the workplace and giving women the right to equal pay.

However, whatever progress has been made, we need to remember that many women in this country are still subject to significant economic and financial insecurity and economic disadvantage. As has been pointed out by others, caring responsibilities, childcare costs, social pressures and mores and working hours and work patterns all still play a part in keeping women in this country out of the workforce or out of better-paid roles.

With that disadvantage comes the risk of seeking solutions that only offer further disadvantage. I am, of course, referring to payday lending and gambling. In my declared role as chair of GambleAware, I am acutely conscious that the picture in relation to women and gambling is as dramatic as it is troubling. Gambling Commission data shows that between 2016 and 2023 the number of women gambling online more than doubled from 12% to 25% of all women, a faster rate than for men. As a result, more than 3 million more women are now gambling online than was the case eight years ago. It is of particular concern and relevance to today’s debate that, however mistaken they may be, one of the main drivers of gambling among women is practical and economic: the desire to win money to boost household finances, relieve financial pressure or provide hope of escape from relationships, poverty or domestic abuse.

One in 10 women who gamble turn to gambling to supplement household income. A quarter of women who gamble expect to gamble more in the coming months owing to the cost of living crisis. Because of the stigma attached to women gambling, women who experience gambling harms are, for once, less likely than men to discuss the issue or seek help with it.

Higher gambling expenditure is associated with worse financial outcomes, including financial distress, lower financial inclusion and poor financial planning. Data from GamCare, one of the charities commissioned by GambleAware as part of the National Gambling Support Network, shows that financial difficulties are experienced by 80% of the people it treats, and being in debt is reported by 66% of National Gambling Helpline users.

There is a need to ensure that specific action is taken to support women experiencing or at risk of gambling harms, and to protect them from financial hardship. Among other work, GambleAware has set up a fund to support activities recommended by researchers looking at women’s lived experience of gambling and gambling harms. It has also devised an ongoing stigma campaign, relaunched earlier this week, to break down the barriers that prevent people seeking help with their harmful gambling. However, much more needs to be done.

I hope that many of the measures set out in the gambling White Paper will help women experiencing gambling harm and prevent unaffordable financial losses that can impact their economic security. These include the introduction of financial risk checks, state limits for online slots—which I am pleased the Government have confirmed that they will be introducing —and improved rules on the provision of incentives such as free bets and bonuses.

These measures are all vital to protecting women from the detrimental financial impacts of gambling. They need to be finalised urgently before more people experience harm. As the Government seek to reform their approach to gambling harm, research, prevention and treatment, the third sector providers that deliver the majority of these crucial services need to be given reassurance that their work will be protected and supported. I hope this reassurance will be provided soon.

I join with others in celebrating International Women’s Day and the steps taken to promote financial inclusion. We have come a long way since women were first employed in the Civil Service in 1869, but we need to acknowledge that many women in this country experience serious financial insecurity and face the risks and bleakness associated with it.