FTSE Companies: Gender Balance

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Fookes

Wednesday 8th March 2017 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

The noble Lord raises a very good point. In fact, my noble friend—I cannot remember her name; I can see her—Lady McGregor-Smith has done extensive work on this. On the back of that, the Government are setting up a Business Diversity and Inclusion Group chaired by the Business Minister, Margot James. It will bring together business leaders and organisations to co-ordinate action to remove barriers in the workplace and monitor employers’ progress. The noble Lord is absolutely right.

[Baroness Fookes (Con)]

My Lords, if we are looking to gender balance, I suggest that we look closer to home. The three excellent clerks before us are all men.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, they are very good men. Of course, we have a female Leader, a female Leader of the Opposition and I am sure that there is a female clerk who comes in here sometimes, so I hope we are balanced out in that sense.