Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to encourage equal (a) pay and (b) opportunity in STEM jobs.

We are committed to strengthening equal pay and ending pay discrimination. The plan to ‘Make Work Pay’ will transform the lives of working women, including by strengthening rights to equal pay and providing protections from maternity and menopause discrimination and sexual harassment.

With regard to STEM opportunities, we will continue to support learners who wish to have a career in STEM through our technical education offer with a range of high quality qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities at all levels. We have also looked specifically at support for those returning to the sector after a break for caring, and will feed this learning into wider work on breaking down barriers for women in the workplace.