Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has held discussions with the Leader of the House on tackling the inequality in the number of males and females carrying out parliamentary assistant/researcher roles for Members of Parliament; and if she will make a statement.

My Rt Hon Friend has not held any discussions with the Leader of the House on this matter. Where a Parliamentary assistant or researcher is engaged under a contract of employment, apprenticeship or contract personally to do work, the Member of Parliament, as their employer, is subject to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, and therefore must not unlawfully discriminate in any aspect of recruitment covered by the Act. The positive action provisions in the Act enable an employer to treat one gender more favourably than the other in connection with recruitment providing certain conditions are met.