Covid-19: Disparate Impact Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Covid-19: Disparate Impact

Helen Hayes Excerpts
Thursday 22nd October 2020

(3 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kemi Badenoch Portrait Kemi Badenoch
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I will ask my colleagues in the Race Disparity Unit to see whether we can have a road map.

Helen Hayes Portrait Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) (Lab)
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Many cleaners, facilities management staff and security staff working in Government buildings are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. What action is the Minister taking to address the terrible disparity in employment terms and conditions for those staff? That leaves them without the protection of full sick pay in the event that they have symptoms or need to self-isolate, putting them, and others working in the same buildings, at greater risk.

Kemi Badenoch Portrait Kemi Badenoch
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The Government are providing money to those people who have to self-isolate. On the broader issue of people from ethnic minority backgrounds working in lower-paid employment, this is one of the things that we dealt with as part of the employer risk guidance, which we repeatedly gave in July and September.