Oral Answers to Questions

Edward Argar Excerpts

Thursday 6th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We will probably be able to take only the Order Paper questions next, and that must be done briefly.

[Edward Argar (Charnwood) (Con)]

6. What steps the Government are taking to reduce the gender pay gap.

[Chris Davies (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)]

7. What steps the Government are taking to reduce the gender pay gap.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Justine Greening)]

The gender pay gap is now at its lowest ever, which is great news, but we need to go further. We are one of the first countries to introduce gender pay gap reporting, and I am delighted that mine is the first Government Department to have published its pay gap figures. What matters is not just transparency, but recognising where women face barriers and taking action.

[Edward Argar]

I welcome the progress that has been made, particularly under this Secretary of State. Does she agree that central to further progress on this issue is a genuine and continued partnership between business and Government?

[Justine Greening]

Absolutely. Mandatory reporting is just the start. We have worked with business to publish guidance on how to pull together accurate information and set out case studies showing what businesses and trail-blazing employers are already doing. With the Government Equalities Office, we recently held events in places such as Leeds and Glasgow that gave employers an opportunity to showcase the business benefits of closing their gender pay gap.