Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the gender pay gap guidance, "Preparing your data", updated 11 August 2025, what is the definition of a man and woman for the purposes of the reporting requirements.

The current gender pay gap reporting guidance was drafted in order to reduce the burden on business, and be mindful of variations in their data collection processes.

We recognise that the terms “male”, “female”, “men” and “women” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a person’s biological sex, and that this has implications for the guidance provided on gender pay gap reporting.

As currently set out on the “Preparing your data” guidance page, we are reviewing the relevant section of this guidance. Further updates on this will be provided shortly.