Debates between Caroline Dinenage and Flick Drummond during the 2015-2017 Parliament

Women and the Economy

Debate between Caroline Dinenage and Flick Drummond
Wednesday 9th December 2015

(8 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
- Hansard - -

I will come on to that a little later in my speech, but I join the right hon. Gentleman in paying tribute to Jo Swinson, my predecessor in this role, who did an excellent job.

This commitment to gender equality informs the difficult decisions that we have had to make to return the country to surplus and ensure that we no longer depend on debt. We must not forget, despite the mass amnesia that seems to have broken out on the Opposition side of the House, that we are in this position because of Labour’s financial mismanagement, which meant that we have had to take very difficult and unpleasant decisions to balance the books and live within our means. We know that women still earn less, own less and retire with less than their male counterparts.

Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
- Hansard - -

Where do I start with the motion before us? I will have a little sit down while I think about it.

Flick Drummond Portrait Mrs Drummond
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Is the Minister appalled, as I am, by the fact that the number of women claimants for jobseeker’s allowance went up by 740,000 during the last two years of the Labour Government, between 2008 and 2010? That nearly doubled the previous number of claimants, but the number has now been reduced by 746,000 under our Government.

Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
- Hansard - -

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. We will not take any lessons about female employment from the Labour party.