Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women Debate

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Department: Department for International Development

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Lord Howarth of Newport Excerpts
Tuesday 17th June 2014

(10 years, 5 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Howarth of Newport Portrait Lord Howarth of Newport (Lab)
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Does the noble Baroness regret that the coalition’s austerity measures have been disproportionately damaging to the employment and incomes of women?

Baroness Northover Portrait Baroness Northover
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There are, in fact, record numbers of women in employment; the figure has now reached 67.9%, the highest point it has ever reached in the United Kingdom. I therefore dispute what the noble Lord says, and point out, for example, that raising the tax threshold disproportionately affected women, because they tended to be in poorer-paying occupations. We are doing our best to ensure that there is equality in the economy, so that women are employed at all levels in the same way as men.