Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Sheryll Murray Excerpts
Thursday 2nd February 2017

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Caroline Nokes Portrait Caroline Nokes
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The equalisation of the state pension age has been well rehearsed in this Chamber; and, no, I will not use the word “class” because, to be quite frank, we are all working now.

Sheryll Murray Portrait Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)
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T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

Justine Greening Portrait The Minister for Women and Equalities (Justine Greening)
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The whole House will welcome the fact that the Turing law has now come into effect. Alongside that, Parliament this week approved the regulations introducing mandatory gender pay gap and bonus gap reporting for private and voluntary sector employers with 250 employees or more. Transparency over time can make a big difference. It is one of our key manifesto commitments, and the Government are holding themselves to the same high standards that we expect of others. That is why we have now laid regulations for gender pay gap reporting in the public sector, which we look forward to debating in this House at the earliest opportunity.

Sheryll Murray Portrait Mrs Murray
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What assessment has my right hon. Friend made of the recent trends in the number of women in work?

Justine Greening Portrait Justine Greening
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My hon. Friend may be aware that the number of women in employment has increased by 229,000 over the past year alone. The female employment rate is now at a record high of 69.8%.