Oral Answers to Questions

Julie Elliott Excerpts

Wednesday 12th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Dowden]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Although trade unions of course play an important role in the modern workplace, facility time in the public sector must represent value for money, which is why we have taken a transparent approach to it. We estimate that more than £120 million is being spent on it. Departments and Government agencies must seek to reduce that spending, as I am pleased to say the Cabinet Office has done; we are spending less than 0.01% of our budget on it.

[Julie Elliott (Sunderland Central) (Lab)]

T6. Will the Minister tell the House what steps he has taken to tackle the gender pay gap in the civil service?

[Mr Lidington]

The Government have required all public bodies and large private sector employers to make public their gender pay gap, so that action can then be taken to ensure that that gap is reduced and closed. We are determined that the public sector will set an example.