International Development (Gender Equality) Bill

Debate between Guy Opperman and Mary Macleod

Friday 17th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Guy Opperman]

In generations to come, future Members of this House and of other Houses of Parliament and Governments will look back on the evolution of rights and equality for women and shake their heads in wonder that this was ever an issue—that we could have reached the 21st century and still be trying even partly to close the gap in some countries. The rights of women in many countries—all of which are known to those of us who take an interest in international aid—are as limited as they are non-existent, and the encouragement being given by the British and other Governments is absolutely vital.

We have often talked about India, including about the work done by my hon. Friend the Member for Stone and me and what we have seen in our travels. I have travelled five times through India—mostly as a backpacker and looking very scruffy, I hasten to add—and one is reminded of the words of Mahatma Gandhi:

“Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none is so degrading, so shocking or so brutal as his abuse of the better half of humanity; the female sex.”

I could not agree more. It is still absolutely and manifestly wrong that, particularly in countries such as India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia, Guatemala and in certain central American counties, women are deprived of their economic rights, as well as in a multitude of other ways.

[Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth) (Con)]

Like my hon. Friend, I have travelled in India. I recently came back from a visit with my gurdwara to the Punjab. We went into the rural areas to visit schools and look at education, including an eye camp that the gurdwara supports. One thing that struck me was the importance of valuing women—having a fundamental respect for women and their value in society—and that has to start with education. That is why I am so glad that this Government are doing work on educating girls to get the fundamental importance of the value of women in society through to both boys and girls.

[Guy Opperman]

I do not know whether it is good or bad that my hon. Friend is the first female contributor to this debate, apart from your interventions, assistance and guidance, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is wonderful to welcome my hon. Friend to the debate. It is good that a group of men are talking about the fact that it is manifestly wrong that inequality should be shown towards women, but I welcome her and totally endorse her point.

My hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough, who is no longer in his place, said there are two elements in the Bill. The second is effectively about disaster and emergency relief, and I certainly hope that the Minister will respond on that matter. None of us wants gender inequality to impede the impact of disaster and emergency relief: everybody should fully understand the Bill’s implication that no regulation should prevent an immediate effort to sort out difficulties such as those we have seen in the Philippines, Haiti and all manner of countries to which international aid has been provided.

My hon. Friend the Member for Stone will correct me if I am wrong, but for me, however, the crucial element is in clause 1(2), which states:

“Before providing development assistance under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall have regard to the desirability of providing development assistance that is likely to contribute to reducing poverty in a way which is likely to contribute to reducing inequality between persons of different gender.”

All Members of the House—particularly, I hope, Government Members—know that the fundamental way of reducing poverty and inequality is through education. Without getting into a debate about education, which I would of course be disallowed from doing, the purpose of the reforms to the education system is to try to reduce inequality, and to promote economic and development aspiration in this country. Surely, the point about clause 1(2) is therefore that the purpose of development aid is to reduce poverty and, fundamentally, the way to do that is by providing education internationally.

--- Later in debate ---

[Guy Opperman]

My hon. Friend makes exactly the point that I was coming to. Without being too techie, estimates of the loss of growth owing to gender inequality in educational support range from 0.3% per annum in sub-Saharan Africa to 0.81% in south Asia. It is patently clear that better education and support for women provides a much greater ongoing economic impact.

There is ample evidence in all the periodicals of the economic implications of the denial of gender equality. For example, a World Bank study has found that managers could increase worker productivity by 25% to 40% where they eliminate discrimination against female workers. I have to confess that I was surprised by that change being so massive, but those are the statistics.

On any interpretation, gender inequality makes labour markets less competitive, stunts agricultural productivity and decreases expected rates of return. If all would-be entrepreneurs were able to use their talents and be given a chance, we can only imagine how massive the economic benefits would be. Whether in relation to such examples as the House of Commons or the presidents and chief executives of FTSE 100 companies, we can see how only a limited number of women are given a chance in this country—let alone in others around the world—and that must surely be addressed. We also have to be blunt in this House that in many developing countries, discriminatory laws and social norms are not only a reality, but a fundamental barrier. They stop female entrepreneurship, curb productivity and stunt economic growth. As Benjamin Franklin said:

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Investment in female education is not only critical for the future, but, I would suggest as a former human rights lawyer, a basic human right. As we know, that right is being denied to too many women. That is not only morally abhorrent, but economically damaging. When a young girl in the developing world is educated, not only does it open doors to a career and prosperity, but it provides numerous social benefits, such as knowledge about pregnancy, child care and nutrition.

We should consider the development that there has been through the millennium development goals. As my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mary Macleod) made clear, it is fantastic that we are taking such a proactive step in this Bill.

[Mary Macleod]

To elaborate on an earlier point, microfinance can help with education. MicroLoan Foundation, a charity based in Chiswick in my constituency, supports women in setting up businesses in Africa. Its website states:

“With MicroLoan’s support, Esnart is able to send one of her three children to school.”

Not only does microfinance help through the economic empowerment of women, but it creates stronger families and helps with the education of children.

[Guy Opperman]

Access to work allows women to bring additional income into their families; drives down the rates of hunger, illiteracy and mortality; and raises productivity and economic growth.

To draw my remarks to a close, I return to the vital impact that international development is having on the young ladies in the Nizip 2 camp in southern Turkey and the education that is being provided. That was fantastic to see. The Bill will give those ladies a better prospect of gaining an education and going to university. It will make them more likely to become the doctors, and indeed engineers, that are so badly needed in the country that we hope will become Syria reborn. I was struck by how many of the young girls of 10, 11 or 12 in Suleiman’s class wanted to be engineers. They said, “I want to go home to my country and rebuild it. Give me the ability to do that.”

Capital Gains Tax (Rates)

Debate between Guy Opperman and Mary Macleod

Wednesday 23rd June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mary Macleod (Brentford and Isleworth) (Con)]

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate on a matter that impacts on the life of every person in the country, every minute of every day. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Andrew Jones) on his maiden speech, in which he spoke warmly about Yorkshire at its best, and said that his constituency was open for business. He took the words out of my mouth, because I was going to say that my constituency was open for business, and that shows how we need the whole country to be open for business after the Budget. My hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (John Stevenson) also made his maiden speech, in which he spoke about regeneration. I am sure that he will be just and fear not in his time in the House.

This is a serious Budget for serious times. As my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) reminded us, this is also a day when England were playing a serious game of football. On behalf of the House I congratulate our team on winning the game, and perhaps they will continue to win throughout the World cup.

I really do not know what planet the hon. Member for Derby North (Chris Williamson), who has just spoken, is on. He should be apologising for what the previous Government did to take the country to the brink of ruin.

[Guy Opperman]

The hon. Member for Derby North quoted some statistics at us about the degree of unemployment in his constituency. I am lucky enough to have the paper on unemployment by constituency from June 2010; handily, it was in my pocket as I walked into the Chamber. Without going back 13 years in relation to the Labour Government, let me say that the paper indicates that in Derby North in May 2005 there were 1,318 jobseeker’s allowance applicants, but that that has now gone up to 2,576—a significant increase, one might think, of 95.4%.

[Mary Macleod]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That proves that the Opposition are living on a different planet, and that they have not a clue about what they have really done to the country over the past 13 years.

This emergency Budget is very much about a plan for the future. We have shown that we are bold enough to make the tough decisions that need to be made. The Chancellor has been faced with a deficit of a size that we have never seen before. I commend his Budget and his determination to stick to the principles of responsibility, fairness and enterprise. Not acting to reduce the deficit is simply not an option. We are not in a position to decide whether to deal with debts or go for growth, as Labour would have us believe. We have seen from the recent crises in the eurozone that unless we deal with those debts, there will be no growth. This Budget is about achieving balance in our economy by paring spending to affordable levels and stimulating growth so that we can encourage business and enterprise.