Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans she has with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the gender pay gap.

This Government is dedicated to breaking down barriers to economic opportunity for women and girls in every part of the country, including Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, and to national initiatives that address the gender pay gap.

Through policies including the Invest in Women Taskforce and the Investing in Women Code, we want women-led businesses in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire to gain fair access to finance, angel investment and venture funding.

Currently, the national gender pay gap stands at 12.8%. The Office for National Statistics releases annual data on the national gender pay gap, including breakdowns by region and constituency, which can be accessed at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashegenderpaygaptables

As part of the Employment Rights Act, we have launched action plans encouraging large employers to publish not just what their gender pay gap is, but the concrete actions they are taking to address it, as well as how they are supporting employees experiencing menopause. These action plans will help employers to tackle the barriers that women face in the workplace and better harness their skills.