Oral Answers to Questions

Pauline Latham Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Kemi Badenoch]

The Government take this issue very seriously. The Government Equalities Office carries out various studies to encourage women into this sector. We know that there are disparities in gender representation in some sector subject areas. Women still account for 6% and 8% of starts in construction, planning and the built environment and in engineering and engineering technologies. This is a space in which we are working very hard. We continue to consult business and I know that my Cabinet colleagues are also working on this issue.

[Mrs Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con)]

What steps she is taking to tackle geographic inequality of opportunity in the UK.

[Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)]

What steps she is taking to tackle geographic inequality of opportunity in the UK.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss)]

We are determined to tackle geographic inequality and level up our country. The Equality Hub will look at the data to identify the real barriers that are holding people back.

[Mrs Latham]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that geographical inequality has been a neglected strand of the equality agenda?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I very much agree. Often, the differences in wages or employment are greater between regions of the UK than they are in other types of inequality. For example, there is a 28% gap in weekly pay between the north-east and London.

--- Later in debate ---

[Elizabeth Truss]

The hon. Lady is right that it is a priority to bring down waiting lists and make sure that transgender people get the healthcare that they deserve. That is why the Government Equalities Office has put in extra funding to support Dr Michael Brady as our LGBT health adviser. We are working closely with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the NHS to make sure that those services are in place.

[Mrs Pauline Latham (Mid Derbyshire) (Con)]

Does the Minister agree that if girls aged between 16 and 18 are persuaded to be married instead of continuing their education, they are likely to be disadvantaged for the rest of their life and less economically active than those who complete an education until at least 18?

[The Minister for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch)]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend: education is important and it is obviously wrong when girls get married at an early age against their will. My hon. Friend has done a lot of work to raise these issues, and the Government are listening carefully to the debate on the legal age of marriage and continue to keep it under review. Tackling forced marriage is one of our key priorities and I am proud that we made forced marriage an offence in 2014.