International Women’s Day

Lord Davies of Brixton Excerpts

Thursday 6th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Davies of Brixton (Lab)]

I spoke in this debate last year about the gender pensions gap. It is still there, but I am going to speak more broadly this year, following the theme—quite clearly set out—of how to promote women’s participation and leadership in science and technology.

Before moving on, I need first to congratulate my noble friends Lady Alexander of Cleveden, Lady Hunter of Auchenreoch, Lady Bousted, Lady Rafferty and Lord Jones of Penybont on their excellent and germane maiden speeches. They will all clearly be major assets to the House. I also congratulate my noble friend Lady Smith of Malvern on her appointment as Minister for Women and Equalities.

I welcome this debate. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be here and to listen to what has been said. It is also a pleasure to contribute, despite the ever-present inevitability of mansplaining. I congratulate my noble friends Lord Jones and Lord Stansgate on their skill in avoiding that danger, but the only certain way to escape falling into the trap is simply to listen to the experience of women, particularly women with lived experience of success in science and technology. We have heard about that with great pleasure in this House today.

I also asked my older daughter. Not only is she a great friend and companion; not only is she a mother of a brilliant grandchild but I am immensely proud that she is an engineer. I have to emphasise that the credit is all hers that she is a professor in the engineering department at the University of Cambridge. I asked her what key point she would like to see raised in this debate. She mentioned in essence—I paraphrase—family-friendly policies that enable her to participate fully and deliver the work in which she is involved undertaking research, with that support both social and in employment. The specific issue she mentioned was support through maternity, through periods when, inevitably, women have children. Support for people in their careers through periods of maternity is obviously important to the individuals concerned and their families but it is also important to all of us, because it avoids the loss of the tremendous talent that is available, which we have to exploit—that is not quite the right word—or employ to the full.

In summarising the challenges and future directions, we have to understand that, despite the undoubted progress that there has been, women in STEM still face barriers, including unconscious bias, workplace discrimination and lack of representation in leadership positions. We have to foster sustainable change: efforts must go beyond entry-level recruitment and focus on career retention, leadership and policy reforms, not least addressing the issues that arise with maternity. We must recognise that women’s participation and leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are vital for innovation, economic growth and social progress. The Government have made it clear that their number one goal is growth, and mobilising the full talent of women and girls is a crucial element in achieving that aim.