Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Dinenage and David Winnick

Thursday 26th May 2016 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Dinenage]

We do want men to take the shared parental leave already available. The signs are that men are beginning to do that, but we need a cultural change to encourage men to take their share of shared parental leave.

[Mr David Winnick (Walsall North) (Lab)]

I want to mention just one workplace. While it is perfectly right that someone in his late 70s should be a regular presenter on BBC television—he is younger than I am—can the Minister imagine a female of that age in the same position? Is that not a form of age discrimination by a public body?

[Caroline Dinenage]

I am obviously in favour of older male television presenters, particularly of news programmes, but absolutely we need many more female counterparts.