Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Smith Excerpts

Wednesday 18th December 2024 Commons Chamber

The Minister for Women and Equalities was asked—

[Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

1. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle the potential impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on future earnings.

[Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)]

2. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle the potential impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on future earnings.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Bridget Phillipson)]

This Government are determined to break the link between background and success. Through the opportunity mission and the child poverty taskforce, we will break down the barriers to opportunity for all, by setting up every child for the best start in life, helping them to achieve and thrive, and building skills for opportunity and growth, so that background is no barrier to success.

[Sarah Smith]

Research from the Bloody Good Period campaign shows that one in five women and girls is now experiencing period poverty, so not only is there a socioeconomic disadvantage, but a further gender penalty. This gender-based injustice costs the UK billions—some £3.3 billion—in lost work annually. Will the Minister tell the House what the Government are doing to tackle period poverty, and are there plans for the taskforce on this to reconvene?

[Bridget Phillipson]

We are tackling the root causes of poverty through measures to make work pay by boosting the living wage and investing in our public services, so that no one, including women, have to go without the essentials. There are also lots of great programmes that support women and girls with period products, such as the scheme in my own Department, which provides free products in education settings.