Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Olly Glover Excerpts
Wednesday 7th May 2025

(1 day, 20 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Seema Malhotra Portrait Seema Malhotra
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The funding will be available to women-led businesses in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. It is right that we continue to support the work of the Women’s Business Council and others, and look at all we can do to support women in businesses, and those who are coming forward to start their own enterprises.

Olly Glover Portrait Olly Glover (Didcot and Wantage) (LD)
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T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

Bridget Phillipson Portrait The Minister for Women and Equalities (Bridget Phillipson)
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The Government are taking decisive action to deliver our plan to make work pay, putting more money back into people’s pockets. The Office for Equality and Opportunity recently launched a public consultation on mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, and a call for evidence on other measures to improve security at work for everyone and tackle unequal pay. We will work in partnership with business to deliver this Government’s plan for change.

Olly Glover Portrait Olly Glover
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Many constituents have written to me to express their concern on the recent UK Supreme Court ruling relating to the legal definition of a woman. It has left the already vulnerable members of the trans community feeling uncertain about how they will be able to go about their day-to-day lives. What steps is the Minister taking to work with her colleagues in other Departments to provide further guidance and clarity on what the judgment means in practice?

Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson
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You will know, Mr Speaker, that I made a statement to the House setting out the Government’s position where we welcomed the clarity of the Supreme Court ruling. I should also stress that, of course, everyone within our country deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and compassion, and trans people continue to enjoy protection from harassment and discrimination under the law. We are working with the Equality and Human Rights Commission on its code of practice, which it will set out in due course following consultation.