Live Women and Equalities Questions House of Commons

to make sure evidence is retained and collected properly, in theatre,

so it can be used for prosecutions when the time comes. Questions to

the Minister for women and equality is. Question number one, Mr Speaker.

Minister Justine Greening. Thank you. The government wants to ensure

all schools are safe in inclusive environments where pupils can fulfil

their potential and the government decide to be considering how to

improve the delivery of sex and relationship education including

updating the existing guidance drafted in 2000. Thank you. New

clause one of the children and social work belt would make sex and

relationship education compulsory but the safeguarding duties of

schools. The Minister confirm government will support this closet

report states all our young people are equipped and empowered to keep

themselves healthy and safe. I very much appreciate the support around

the House for the fact it's now time to look at how we can do better in

regard to sex and relationship education. We've been very clear

that we are actively looking at how to best address improving the

quality of delivery and access ability so children can be

supported. As my honourable colleague set out, the Minister of

State, the government is committed to updating Parliament further

during the passage of this bill. Police information released today by

Barnardos show a 73% increase in reports of children sexually abusing

other children. And we know children are not being effectively taught in

our schools about mutual respect, self-respect or consent. All the

Minister consider particular amendments which address those

issues as part of the children's and social work belt because we are

running out of time here and we are letting children down. I set out

that we will provide an update during the next stage of the

children and social work will then she is right to point out since the

guidance was trapped and in 2000 a lot of time has elapsed and the

world is a different place and it's time we look at how children have

the right access to what I might rename relationships and sex

education but in the end, that is high quality as well and that's why

I think we are right to make sure the next steps we take on this other

bright steps, but ones that for the long term can move this forward and

make sure young people in the education system today genuinely

leaving school with a source of not only relationship education but

broader life skills they need to be able to be successful. All the right

honourable lady take on board the fact that successive committees have

lived the best and it's vital that we have in every school, this kind

of education but also we train people with the right skills to

deliver. Ie An clear that we need to make progress on this and I've

reflected on the fact there's been 16 years when we really haven't.

Ofsted, similarly, when they did a recent report on this back in 2013

reflected issues around the quality of teaching and as he sets out, this

isn't just about what our young people should be getting taught

within schools and their access to that. It's also about the quality of

teaching and this is more broader in nature than simply updating the

legal software SRV, for example is taught. There is a worrying trend in

this House amongst people of the left on both sides, things that they

don't like should be banned and things that they do like must be

made compulsory. What's wrong with the principle of freedom and what's

wrong with parents having a role in deciding what is appropriate for the

children to be taught? I strongly agree with him that the role of

parents and the parents involvement in making sure of what children are

taught in school is acceptable to them and appropriate. Is absolutely

vital but I think the most important voices in many respects that need to

be listened to either voices of young people and children themselves

who say they don't feel they are getting the right level of education

that they need in this area and they want to see a more to date

approached, enabling them to deal with the world they are growing up

in. Thank you. More than half of lesbian gay and by pupils have

experienced direct bullying and LG BT people are twice as likely as

heterosexuals to have suicidal thoughts or to have attempted

suicide. The Minister will be aware people are committing terrible

homophobic bullying had crimes online, crimes they will be held

accountable for off-line. The note to LG BT had campaigned on Twitter

is calling for Twitter to take action against those who spread

homophobia, does the Minister support this campaign and what is

she doing to tackle homophobic hate? Thank you. I think it's important

that we support campaigns that are trying to play their role in

reducing LG BT bullying. From a government perspective in September

last year we set out a ?2.8 million programme investing in charities who

are working to address homophobic and transfer but being in England in

schools and the government has launched its own campaign to help

young people recognise and challenge abuse within team relationships but

clearly its work in schools, changing attitudes that is important

for the reasons she sets out, the level of discrimination and abuse

that many young people say they face. And please the government

considers the views of charities and campaigners and members of this

House in introducing statutory relationship education. Will my

honourable friend update the House and plans to update the statutory

guidance it was last updated when I guidance it was last updated when I

was the right old age of 13. LAUGHTER I hadn't realised he was

quite that young! But he sets out the very serious point that the

world has changed immeasurably since 2000 and the kinds of ways in which

our children learn about relationships is a different and at

the moment, the challenge is that they are learning about them through

allsorts of ways that give them a very skewed, inaccurate view of what

relationships are about and I think it's important we look at how we

make sure the guidance genuinely can work in reflecting the world is

today and therefore giving ourselves and our children a better chance to

get the education they need. The beard is deceptive. With my right

honourable friend have a word with our excellent Secretary of State

education and identify the best schools in the country that tackle

homophobe at bullying and sexual harassment together with the parents

of their pupils and rule this best practice across the country? The

Minister is being invited to talk to herself. I won't comment on that Mr

Speaker but what I will say is my honourable friend is absolutely

right, there are many schools, I visited a fantastic school in

Birmingham that was doing some great work in this area so there is

excellent work on the way but it's now time to look at how we can learn

from what works and see that generally percolating through the

school system so that all schools are all children can do a better job

of teaching is or even. Number three Mr Speaker. Or even two! -- SRE.

Thank you, I would like to answer questions to and eight. The gender

pay gap is adept lowest ever but it is still too high and eliminating it

all together as one of the key targets of this government. That's

why we have extended the right to request flexible working, it's why

we introduced shared parental leave and that's why from September we are

rolling out 30 hours of child care to the working parents of all three

four -year-olds. Thank you. Can I thank the Minister for that reply

and can I say, does the Minister agree that the overwhelming evidence

suggesting that the ?1200 employment Tribunal fees introduced by her

government are creating a significant barrier to women being

able to hold their employer to account for gender pay disparity in

the workplace and that's all women, not just the low paid.

cross the the Government does take this very seriously. The minister of

state for courts and justice will be coming forward with more information

on this shortly. The Government is committed to make sure that people

from all backgrounds can access justice. While we are very keen to

see much more in the way of mediation and Acas has dealt

successfully with more than 80,000 of those cases, without them having

to go to a tribunal, we did launch on Tuesday a consultation on

proposals to widen the support available to people, under the help

with fees scheme, following the completion of the fees review. The

gender pay gap in the north-east is 28%, some 10% higher than the

national average - what is the Government doing to address those

very stark regional variations? Mr Speaker, it is absolutely vital, now

more than ever, that's our economy is able to benefit from everybody's

skills, and we cannot afford to waste the talent of one single

person. That is why from April this year, we are requiring all employers

with over 250 staff to publish those of gender pay gap figures. We are a

great believer in, what gets measured gets managed, but what gets

punished gets managed even better. Can my honourable friend tell the

House what the gender pay gap is for 30-year-olds and 40 volts in each

government department, and to do this before trying to lecture others

in the private sector? I'm delighted to tell him that the pay gap in the

department of education is only 5.9%. While that is still too high,

it shows enormous progress in the department of education. The

government figure is just below 13%, but we will keep working. Given that

it is now 42 years since Barbara Castle's Equal Pay Act, why is there

ANY gender pay gap, not only for 30-year-olds and 40-year-olds, also

people of all other ages as well? I thought it was 47 years this year,

but maybe my maths is wrong. I thought it was 1970! I thought it

was 1970, the act. Anyway, we are agreed that it is a long-standing

statute. Yes, I think we can all agree that it has been a long old

time. My honourable friend is absolutely right to point this out.

Of course, we have got legislation which stops people being paid

differently from doing the same job, but what drives the gender pay gap

is the fact that girls are tending to go into lower paid sectors than

men, and of course, the pay gap really kicks in at the age of 30 or

40, when women leave work to have children and may not be supported

back into the workplace as well as people want them to be, which is why

this is so vital. I would like to say first of all, and I hope on

behalf of the entire house, that we are clear, and I think all of us are

clear that hate crime of any description should not and must not

be tolerated. We have been working with the police, EU embassies and

community groups to monitor the situation, provide reassurance and

encourage reporting of racist incidents. Recorded hate crime has

now fallen to preen referendum levels. Police continue to monitor

racist incidents on an ongoing basis to make sure any increase is

addressed at the earliest opportunity. Me I think the minister

for that answer. Across the UK, we saw a rise in hate crime and

religiously aggravated offences following the referendum. 41% higher

in July 2016 than one year earlier. Can the minister informed the House

what provisions have been put in place to avoid any repetition,

specifically in relation to the triggering of Article 50? There is a

couple of points I would make. We have actually put in place the

Government's new hate crime action plan, which has taken a number of

steps to improve reporting, with new guidance for prosecutors and a new

fund to make sure we have got security measures and additional

funding in place for community organisations so that they can

tackle hate crime. I would also gently say that the Labour Party as

well should look carefully at the report this morning which indicates

a 36% rise in totally unacceptable acts of anti-Semitic recorded crime.

I think you, Mr Speaker, and I thank my honourable friend for mentioning

the CST report. Clearly, the concern of the Jewish community in this

country is that hate crime against dues is on the rise. He has seen the

report. I think what the whole community wants to know is, what is

he going to do about it so that we stamp out anti-Semitism and once and

for all? Right honourable friends next very good point. It is

important that we stamp out all forms of hate crime. This is where

the hate crime action plan was put in place in July of last year by the

Home Secretary. But also we all need to look ourselves. It is clear when

you look at the CST report, we should be pleased about people

having the confidence to come forward and report crime, but the

fact that hate crime of any description, particularly 836% rise

like that, it is absolutely disgraceful, and I hope that members

across this House will be doing all they can to it out the Government

the European Union has been a beacon of hope and key opponent of equality

for citizens rights across the globe. Will the minister

categorically confirm to the House that the discrimination laws and

rights Easter Road upon people across the UK will not only be

upheld following a UK exit from the European Union, but that citizens

living in the UK will not be left behind, to have their rights held

hostage by Brexit? I would say to the honourable lady, we have been

very clear all along that we want to not only stamp out hate crime but

form a partnership with our partners right across Europe. I spoke at the

EU council on this issue earlier this year. In fact we were the only

country to talk about this. We should be proud of the fact that in

this country we have got some of the toughest laws in the world around

hate crime. And just a few weeks ago, on the 19th of January, we

hosted the embassies of 19 countries to talk to them about what we are

doing and what can be done further to drive out hate crime. Sexual

harassment and sexual violence in schools is totally unacceptable and

should not be tolerated. I would like to pay tribute to the fantastic

work of Girl Guiding Uk, which is tackling this important issue. And

we are working with them as part of our commitment to the women and

equality commission inquiry, with regard to sexual violence and

harassment in schools. Can I thank my right honourable friend for that

answer? But how much training and emotional support is given to Girl

Guides and other young girls who are bullied online? Tackling all forms

of bullying, including cyber bullying, is a priority for us. And

we are investing ?1.6 million over two years directly in anti-bullying

initiatives, including via the Diana Award Project, which will focus on

digital resilience for young people. The Government is also funding the

Uk Safer Internet Centre, to help with online safety. But I think his

question underlines the fact that the world is a very different place

for our young people these days, and our guidance and laws and teaching

need to stay up-to-date. Will the government support Girl Guiding's

Girls Matter campaign to promote healthy relationships and other

areas? I have set out that I feel that it is time that we look at the

guidance which is in place and how we can improve teaching. I think

that is the right thing to do. We will set out our next steps at the

next stage of the Children And Social Bill. But I think there's

things we are already doing as well. We have held our first advisory

group on updating our guidance in relation to bullying. And hopefully

through that, through our frameworks we have got in place, we can help

schools develop approved codes of practice to combat bullying as well.

Will the minister confirm that co-operation exists at a very

comprehensive level, particularly dealing with uniformed

organisations, like the Girls' Brigade, as well as the girls

pernicious aspect of the 21st pernicious aspect of the 21st

century? I think these sorts of our organisations can be absolutely

vital, but also incredibly powerful in changing attitudes and helping,

particularly young girls, understand that they do have a voice and they

should not accept this sort of behaviour towards them. We work very

closely with girl guiding on gender equality when I was in DFID, and I

am pleased that that relationship is continuing now that I am in the

DfEE. A kid part of fulfilling the aims of the campaign is challenging

the attitudes and behaviour of perpetrators of those crimes. What

is the government doing to ensure national coverage for high-quality,

accredited, community-based perpetrator programmes such as the

ones that I was involved in, as I declare my interest, before I became

an peak to come to This Place? The work the DFA does is part of the

government programme around tackling harassment, bullying and

intimidation. -- before I became an MP. It is not just about supporting

the people who are bearing the brunt the people who are bearing the brunt

of it, but also understanding what is driving it and tackling the root

The girl guiding survey found that The girl guiding survey found that

20% of 13-year-olds to meet 21-year-olds have had unwanted

pornographic images sent to them, and 5% have had indecent images

shared without her consent. If the government really does want to

support the girl guiding campaign, why is her department cutting the

funding for the revenge porn helpline which has taken more than

2500 calls in the last year? How will she make sure that victims of

revenge porn have access to bespoke support, as promised in that

strategy, when you are shutting the only helpline in March? I don't

think she has got the right information. In fact we have not

made any announcements in relation to that yet. I do think alongside

all of the comments made by honourable members today, it is also

worth reflect on the fact that one other thing we can do is to improve

the evidence base in this area, which is why we have included

specific questions on sexist and racist bullying in the next wave of

the Teacher Voice Survey. And we hope that some of those findings

from those questions will be available later this year. Thank

you, Mr Speaker. The Home Office has engaged closely with other

government departments in the Violence Against Women And Girls

interministerial group including the commit to increased funding of ?80

million for the services. We have also engage closely with

commissioners and voluntary sector partners on support for independent

domestic violence advisers, and our move to support better local

collaboration and early intervention through the translation fund. 84% of

victims report feeling safer with an independent mystic violence adviser,

and just over 1000 advisers are supporting the current number of

known victims, yet there are currently only half that number.

What steps will the minister be taking to increase the number of

independent domestic violence advisers across the country? As I

just outlined in my answer, the first part of the question, we have

actually increased the funding to ?80 million, working with

commissioners in local areas, to make sure that they can deliver the

services which they understand are correct for the local area. I am

very proud that my local authority, Powys County Council, has become a

white ribbon authority. Will he do all he can to encourage all

authorities to follow that example? My honourable friend gives a really

good example of where local work is delivering really good local

results, in a way that others can look at. We have got to get better

at sharing best practice. And that is a really good example. The

Government's continuing our work on our commitment to review the Gender

Recognition Act of 2004. We are looking at how the process can be

improved, as well is looking carefully at international

comparisons. We will provide an update later this year. I think the

minister for her answer. My constituent applied for a gender

recognition certificate. However, her application was rejected on the

basis that the statutory declaration was more than... And she may have

changed her mind. Even that they statutory declaration is a lifetime

declaration, will she confirm that the six month time limit will be

reviewed as part of the review? I'm really sorry to hear that his

constituent has encountered these difficulties, and he's absolutely

right to bring this kind of case to the House today. We have committed

to review the gender recognition process, to streamline it, to

de-medicalised it, and we will consider the case of any

administrative barriers to people gaining the gender recognition that

they want. We want to make sure that schools to put high-quality PSHE at

the heart of their curriculum, ensuring that all young people are

prepared for life in modern Britain. Effective PSHE not only provides

pupils with key life skills, it also gives them the knowledge to

understand their rights and responsibilities, to respect

individual differences and to challenge producers and

discrimination. Does Secretary of State agree with me that embedding

PSHE life skills, as she correctly terms it, will help us deal with

social mobility and productivity and that we should see proper teaching

in our schools and age-appropriate as well?

Hears absolutely right to link this with social mobility. Ours he is

absolutely right. It's important we have healthy and resilient. I

show-macro he is. Also to improve nonacademic outcomes and it's hugely

valued by employers. The Minister will recognise when it comes to

personal, social and health education, one of the key helpers to

make that happen is the role of churches. Could I ask the Minister

of what discussions he's had well have in relation to education and

the rural churches play in that. It's an important point that he

schools are faith schools and the schools are faith schools and the

values that we give young people as they come to the education system

are not only British values but underpinned by faith values and I

think coming back to this point on the economy, I think what it can

help develop is teamwork, communication skills and resilience

and those are the things but is business needs. Number nine, Mr

Speaker. Thank you, the government is committed to combining with

public sector equality duty and we'll take account of feedback.

We'll undertake analysis is part of the detailed planning for service

reconfiguration which will include feedback from public consultations

on those locations of supplies. Last week the government announced the

closure of 50 jobs at a plant in Scotland including Paisley. Does the

Minister agree is a dereliction of duty and an insult to those affected

to not conduct an equality impact assessment in advance of these

plans? The consultations we are carrying out with those claimants

who use the services across the country not simply in Scotland will

enable their views and opinions to be fed into the quality analysis.

The single guest boost to equality dithered throughout the estate is

the introduction of named universal coaches and personalised support.

What is the current roll-out timetable? I thank my honourable

friend and the roll-out of Universal Credit is increasing pace from

September we expected to roll-out to 43 job centres every month. He is

right to point out work coaches are a crucial part of getting people act

into work and is part of service reconfiguration we are working to

make sure individual claimants can maintain a relationship with their

work coach. Number 11. Thank you. Women reaching state pension age in

2016, 17 are estimated to receive more state pension on average over

their lifetime and women ever happy for. By 2030 over three million

women stand to gain an average of ?550 a year through the introduction

of the new state pension. Working-class women are more likely

to be in manual trades which take a greater toll on the body as it ages

and are more likely to die younger because of health inequalities we

still suffer from. The Minister didn't mention the word class and

her reply, could she say right now she will ensure justice for working

class women by giving them a fairer deal in the spring budget? The issue

of the equality of state pension age has been well rehearsed in this

chamber and I won't use the word class because to be frank, we are

all working now. Topical questions to the Minister for women and

equality is. Question number one. I think the whole house will welcome

that the Turing law has come into effect but alongside that,

Parliament approved the regulation introducing mandatory gender pay gap

and bonus cap reporting for private and voluntary sector employers with

250 employees of more. This transparency over time can make a

big difference, it's one of the key manifesto commitments but government

is also holding itself to the same high standards as we expect of

others and we've laid regulations for gender pay gap reporting in the

public sector and we look forward to debating them in this House at the

earliest opportunity. Can my right honourable friend tell us what

assessment she has made of the recent trends in the number of women

in work? Is she may be aware the number of women in work in

employment has increased by 229,000 over the past year alone. And the

female employment rate at 6920% is at a record high. As of the 2000

1610 statement 86% of savings to the Treasury come from women. The

Treasury continue to fail to provide any impact assessment of fiscal

policies or send a Minister to the women and equality is committee to

answer questions. But the Minister commit to ensure women do not suffer

the same abysmal impact at the spring budget? I think I've just set

out that the female employment rate is at a record high, I think that's

good news, we want to see that progress and this employment rate is

now the third highest in the whole of the G7. What is the government

doing to support meant to take more of an active role in looking after

the children? We know that when fathers take an active role in child

care it's not only great for their relationships with their children at

also really important for eliminating the gender pay gap.

That's why we've introduced chair parental leave and taxable working

to help mums and dads balance worklife and family commitments. --

flexible working. With the Minister agree that the equalities and human

rights commission must publish an equalities impact assessment of its

planned redundancy programme before it the programme precedes any

further? EHRC is an independent body, established under the

equalities act of 2006 and that has been subject to substantial reform

to ensure it can carry out its core functions effectively but it must be

able to do that under its own steam because it is an independent body.

Research by England athletics show that over a third of women have

suffered harassment while out running. As chairman of the

Association for running what further help can my honourable friend

offered to challenge this behaviour which is clearly a barrier to

getting more people out running. I totally agree with him this type of

behaviour is clearly unacceptable, we shouldn't tolerate it in any

form. I regularly go running myself, I've been stopped for a selfies but

never subject to catcalling. But I think there is more that we can do

and Sport England, this girl can campaign and other initiatives has

helped narrow the gender gap in sport participation but the active

lines serve the women straight 59% of women are doing at least 150

minutes of physical activity a week, the amount recommended by the Chief

Medical Officer but I think there's more we can do to measure there is

no barriers to women participating. I don't know whether the Minister

has been stopped for her running, or her celebrity status, or both. 1800

women in my constituency and countless thousands across the UK

are WASPY women. Does the Minister agree this generation of and suppers

from pay determination, denied the right brand pension and heaps

injustice upon injustice. -- and suffers. This government has been

very clear, bringing about state pension age equality was an

important principle and one we must maintain. We've made ?1 billion

without concessions to women in this age group but as my honourable

friend the pensions minister made clear, there will be no more

transitional arrangements. The government spin very clear in the

fact that it wants to see a quality law protected when we leave the EU.

Particularly important. Can the Minister update the House on whether

this is going to form part of the fight paper that will be published

today? This is an important point and it's one of the reasons why the

Prime Minister set out a number of objectives in her speech recently.

I'm not going to pre-empt the white paper which is being published today

but certainly it's important that we make sure we absolutely maintain and

continued to advance issues of equalities and rights. The

government has said that setting the age threshold for a living wage of

25 creates financial incentive to employ young people yet given the

Federation of Small Businesses advised members to employ a young

person on this business could constitute age discrimination will

the government reviewed the threshold and introduce a living

wage from 18 to combat age discrimination in the workplace?

This is an important age. We've introduced the living wage to make

sure all people get a minimum wage in respect of what they need to be

able to live effectively. We don't have a Treasury minister on the

bench today but I will absolutely make sure that one of them response

to the question she has just raised. Can my right honourable friend

update the House on the long promised consultation on cast to

termination which was promised by Christmas and we are still waiting.

-- discrimination. It remains a work in progress but it will be getting

published very shortly. According to a report by the Trades Union

Congress between January and March 2014 following the introduction of

tribunal fees 1222 six determination claims were made to an employment

tribunal come player to 6017 claims a year earlier. Doesn't this make a

nonsense of government plans for gender equality? On Tuesday we

launched a consultation on the proposals to widen support available

to people under the help with these scheme following the completion of

the ET fees review earlier last year but I think it's important to point

out a Cas has seen the number of people able to sort out their

differences by mediation has gone beyond 80000 and I think the number

of people would be much happier going back into the workplace

they've come from having sorted out their problems on a friendly and

three mediation rather than through tribunals. This week marked the

start of the LGB T week, but, phobia remains far too high with Stonewall

saying one in four LGB T people hide their sexual orientation. The

Minister take urgent action to tackle this, particularly sentences

against those who commit hate crime against this group? The UK continues

to be recognised as one of the most progressive countries in Europe for

LGB T writes but he's right, we mustn't rest on our laurels and make

sure that anybody who attacks anyone on the basis of their sexual

orientation is brought to justice and LGB T history month is a

fantastic opportunity to celebrate and recognise the contribution that

gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people make to British

society and culture. Questions to Leader of the House. Mr Martindale.

Question number one. Mr Speaker with permission I would like to answer

this question along with questions two, three, four and five. The

standing orders of the House of Commons applied to