All 1 Debates between Bridget Phillipson and Jenny Willott

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Jenny Willott
Thursday 13th March 2014

(10 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) (Lab)
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2. What assessment she has made of the effect of Government policies on occupational gender segregation.

Jenny Willott Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women and Equalities (Jenny Willott)
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We asked the Women’s Business Council to look at how we could tackle the barriers women face in the workplace and when choosing a career. It published its recommendations in June last year, and we are working closely with businesses and across Government to turn them into reality.

Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson
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It is worrying that the number of female apprentices has dropped, and much more needs to be done to attract women into traditionally male-dominated sectors, such as engineering and manufacturing. When will we see some progress from the Government on that?

Jenny Willott Portrait Jenny Willott
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The Government are very proud of our record on apprentices. Over this Parliament we are funding a quarter of a million more apprenticeship places. In fact, more girls and women are taking up these opportunities than boys and men, particularly at the higher levels, where over 60% of apprentices are women. There is an issue with the proportion of women taking up more traditionally male apprenticeships, which is something I will be taking up with the Minister for Skills and Enterprise, my hon. Friend the Member for West Suffolk (Matthew Hancock).

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