:00:00. > :00:00.tackle this. We know what it can lead to and therefore we have to
:00:00. > :00:07.stamp it out before it becomes something even more vile.
:00:08. > :00:11.THE SPEAKER: Questions to the minutester for women and equal --
:00:12. > :00:14.Minister for Women and equalities. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am proud
:00:15. > :00:30.of... Number one. Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the House
:00:31. > :00:37.has just been discussing hate crime of any kind, including that targeted
:00:38. > :00:43.at communities has no place in our society. I am sure I speak for the
:00:44. > :00:47.whole House when I say how appalled I am. The Government is monitoring
:00:48. > :00:51.this situation, working across Government departments and also with
:00:52. > :00:55.the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and community partners too
:00:56. > :00:59.to provide reassurance and to send out a clear message that hate crime
:01:00. > :01:05.will not be tolerated and we will take action against those who
:01:06. > :01:10.promote hatred. I am proud of the neath partnership
:01:11. > :01:16.which has been working to counter the rise in hate crime, more
:01:17. > :01:20.prevalent since the referendum by holding hate crime sessions. We
:01:21. > :01:27.should all say no to hate crime. What steps is the minister taking to
:01:28. > :01:33.adopt this practise and roll it out across the country to heal
:01:34. > :01:38.divisions? Communities? I will be interested to talk to her about the
:01:39. > :01:42.community she is in. She highlights one of the most effective things we
:01:43. > :01:48.can do is to work at community level to spread a message of inclusion and
:01:49. > :01:52.acceptance andal rans across our society. So the broader work which
:01:53. > :01:58.is happening in Government is not just through policing and the Home
:01:59. > :02:02.Office, it is also through DCLG and in my Department of Education
:02:03. > :02:05.through schools. Can I welcome my Right Honourable
:02:06. > :02:12.friend to her position. Does she feel, as I do, that we should be
:02:13. > :02:19.looking at online hate crime, which is often where people can suffer the
:02:20. > :02:22.most? Does she believe, as I do, the platforms and social media outlets
:02:23. > :02:25.should do more to standardise reporting in this area? And take
:02:26. > :02:32.more action against the perpetrators?
:02:33. > :02:40.I agree that the online element of this crime is important to address.
:02:41. > :02:43.One of the things the government has done is to strengthen online
:02:44. > :02:49.reporting and part of the increase in hate crime came through that tool
:02:50. > :02:52.that we set up, that website where people can more effectively report
:02:53. > :02:56.online. She is right to say that there are different channels where
:02:57. > :03:06.we see hate crimes perpetrated and all of them need a strong response.
:03:07. > :03:13.The Minister's and is on online hate crime is welcome but given the level
:03:14. > :03:17.of bile and hatred that exists in certain parts of social media, it is
:03:18. > :03:23.essential that law enforcement agencies chase this down, with
:03:24. > :03:28.specific cases brought to court to ensure that there is no hiding place
:03:29. > :03:35.for this behaviour on social media. I agree with him. As crime moves on
:03:36. > :03:41.to different forms, including online, that the CPS, collectively,
:03:42. > :03:45.take strong action and show that this sort of attitude across our
:03:46. > :03:51.country will not be tolerated, and where ever it raises its head, we
:03:52. > :03:55.will take action against it. It may be a special occasion when all 12
:03:56. > :04:01.members of both the government and opposition front bench as are
:04:02. > :04:06.female. Mr Speaker, last night, Kettering Borough Council last
:04:07. > :04:12.motion condemning racism, xenophobia and hate crime. I am proud to be a
:04:13. > :04:16.member of Kettering Borough Council and do have supported that motion.
:04:17. > :04:24.Would my Right Honourable Friend and courage other local authorities to
:04:25. > :04:27.do the same? The merit in making the point about the make-up of the front
:04:28. > :04:33.bench is that it is now on the record in Hansard for ever.
:04:34. > :04:40.Minister. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Perhaps appropriate given
:04:41. > :04:42.it is questions for women and the qualities in particular. I should
:04:43. > :04:46.say that when we decide as a government to draw across government
:04:47. > :04:51.departments to answer this question there was no attempt to make sure
:04:52. > :04:55.that we had an all - woman list of ministers to answer questions, but I
:04:56. > :04:58.think it shows how things are changing in Parliament in terms of
:04:59. > :05:04.female representation and, alongside the fact we have as of last week got
:05:05. > :05:09.away second female Prime Minister. To come to My Honourable Friend was
:05:10. > :05:13.Mike very important question, I'd like to applaud Kettering Borough
:05:14. > :05:18.Council for its strong stance against racism. I think part of how
:05:19. > :05:24.we can ensure that we stamp out hate crime and racism generally is, not
:05:25. > :05:28.only to work strongly on the ground, but those people in positions of
:05:29. > :05:32.authority, community leaders included, need to advocate of the
:05:33. > :05:37.kind of society, the kind of inclusive society that we all want.
:05:38. > :05:39.So those steps that Kettering Borough Council has taken are
:05:40. > :05:50.particularly well Act and I hope that other councils follow suit. --
:05:51. > :05:54.welcome. It was amazing to see people of multi-faith and no faith
:05:55. > :05:57.engaging together through sport and other activities. Does the Minister
:05:58. > :06:02.agree that these events should be encouraged where possible in these
:06:03. > :06:07.troubled times where we are seen an alarming rise in hate crime? Yes, I
:06:08. > :06:17.think we all have our own experience at constituency level. My local
:06:18. > :06:20.Amadiyah Muslim community holds an event that brings together all sides
:06:21. > :06:24.of the community and those fundraising that benefits the
:06:25. > :06:29.Amadiyah community stop these are the kinds of community leadership I
:06:30. > :06:32.was referring to. As MPs we can play a real role in encouraging and
:06:33. > :06:41.supporting that when we see happening in narrowing the Cal at
:06:42. > :06:45.is. -- in our own localities. I am really proud to be one of the women
:06:46. > :06:49.on the front bench, if we have got an all women front bench. It seems
:06:50. > :06:55.that we might be taking over the world, slowly but surely. Which is
:06:56. > :06:59.fantastic. We have heard from many members on all sides of the House
:07:00. > :07:08.that there's been a dramatic wave of hate crime and intolerance towards
:07:09. > :07:12.EU nationals and members of the McAfee community living in the UK. I
:07:13. > :07:15.have been encouraged by members of the public who have challenged this
:07:16. > :07:19.behaviour and shown what a great multicultural Britain we are, but
:07:20. > :07:27.like many across this House and the country I was dismayed and upset by
:07:28. > :07:32.the Sun columnist Kelvin MacKenzie's disgraceful Islamophobia attack on
:07:33. > :07:39.the Channel 4 News presenter Fatima Manji. Could we explain that all
:07:40. > :07:42.members of the South Regardez comments as unacceptable and all the
:07:43. > :07:47.Minister join me in urging Mr MacKenzie to make a full public
:07:48. > :07:51.apology and urge the Sun newspaper and other media to be more
:07:52. > :07:59.responsible in what they allow on their media outlets Butt never again
:08:00. > :08:04.must she ask such a long question. It was far too long, albeit very
:08:05. > :08:09.important. Minister. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. She raises an
:08:10. > :08:14.important question. Not the first time that John MacKenzie has written
:08:15. > :08:22.and said things that are on the controversial -- Kelvin MacKenzie. I
:08:23. > :08:26.think it is for him to decide how he wants to respond to the wave of
:08:27. > :08:32.criticism he has received since writing that article. From my
:08:33. > :08:35.perspective am I am proudly live in a country where men and women are
:08:36. > :08:39.equal, but that includes women having the right to be able to wear
:08:40. > :08:44.what they want and to be able to get on in their job, wearing what they
:08:45. > :08:51.want to be able to wear, and that includes needs -- newscasters and
:08:52. > :08:56.journalists, in my view. We need to have some kind of consensus around
:08:57. > :09:02.not rising to the bait of people like Kelvin MacKenzie and I hope
:09:03. > :09:08.that we can give his comments the derision that they deserve. The
:09:09. > :09:16.Minister has put the bigoted fellow in its place pretty comprehensively.
:09:17. > :09:21.Thank you, Mr Speaker, with permission I will answer questions
:09:22. > :09:24.two, three and ten together. We have reformed the pension system to
:09:25. > :09:29.introduce a simple estate pension with automatic and Roman, the triple
:09:30. > :09:33.lock, protection of benefits and new pension freedoms will ensure that
:09:34. > :09:39.engineers, both women and men have greater protection, security and
:09:40. > :09:49.choice. -- that pensioners. I thank the Minister for that answer. The
:09:50. > :09:53.new state pension will see, a man born on the same day slightly later
:09:54. > :10:00.but was received pensions under the new arrangements. Sugar Pensions
:10:01. > :10:04.Minister -- pensions commission be established to end these
:10:05. > :10:09.inequalities? I thank the honourable gentleman for his welcome. ?1.1
:10:10. > :10:13.billion was committed to reduce the maximum delay anyone with experience
:10:14. > :10:18.in claiming their state ancient. As a result of the government's triple
:10:19. > :10:22.lock, the basic state pension has risen by ?570 per year. The
:10:23. > :10:29.government position on this policy is very clear. The current review by
:10:30. > :10:33.John Criddle and into the state ancient age is critical to ensure
:10:34. > :10:37.that the existing inequalities in the current pension system do not
:10:38. > :10:42.plague future retirees. Does the Mr agree that the leader strip is in
:10:43. > :10:45.life expectancy such as those amongst the poorest women in society
:10:46. > :10:55.and across UK regions must be closely examined to prevent gender
:10:56. > :10:59.inequality? I absolutely agree. It is important to prevent gender
:11:00. > :11:03.inequality. But we must acknowledge that across the country people are
:11:04. > :11:06.living longer, and if we want to have a sustainable, affordable
:11:07. > :11:13.ancient system we must equalise the state pension age for men and women.
:11:14. > :11:18.-- pension system. Mr Speaker, for get the triple lock and other
:11:19. > :11:24.measures that the Minister promoted, the simple fact is, according to the
:11:25. > :11:27.Institute for Fiscal Studies, 14% of women in future will receive a law
:11:28. > :11:31.income at state pension age than they would have otherwise under the
:11:32. > :11:35.current system. What discussion is the Minister having with colleagues
:11:36. > :11:42.from the DWP to prevent this from happening? The new state pension is
:11:43. > :11:47.more generous to many women. Over 3 million women stand to gain ?550 per
:11:48. > :11:57.year more by 2030 as a result of these changes. Can I take this up
:11:58. > :12:03.unused -- this chance to -- to welcome the Minister to her place?
:12:04. > :12:06.As a fellow feminist she will agree that the generation of women were
:12:07. > :12:13.talking about is our mothers are what the generation who broken the
:12:14. > :12:16.barriers on equal pay. What message does it send to a future generation
:12:17. > :12:24.burdened by student debt, what incentive is there for younger women
:12:25. > :12:28.to save for their future? I thank the honourable lady for her welcome.
:12:29. > :12:31.In fact what we have seen from the reforms the government has made is
:12:32. > :12:35.that woman of her age and my age are doing more now to save for their
:12:36. > :12:38.future than ever before. It is important to reflect that some of
:12:39. > :12:43.the previous arrangements dating back to the 1940s, and the world has
:12:44. > :12:51.moved on an incredible amount since that time and I would argue,
:12:52. > :12:54.absolutely for the better. Thank you, Mr Speaker. With your
:12:55. > :13:00.permission I am going to group this question with questions five and
:13:01. > :13:04.seven. This area is a real success story. We have more women on boards
:13:05. > :13:11.than ever before but we know we have got to do more. I fully endorse the
:13:12. > :13:16.target of 33% of women on FTSE 250 boards by 2020. To achieve this we
:13:17. > :13:19.have established the Hampton Alexander review which will have a
:13:20. > :13:28.focus on improving gender representation in the all important
:13:29. > :13:33.executive lair of FTSE complete. The statutory mail on the government
:13:34. > :13:37.front bench. I would have invited the member for Shipley, but I
:13:38. > :13:44.suspect that might have been a divisible proposition. Mr Andrew
:13:45. > :13:51.Stevenson. I thank the Minister for that answer. Does the Minister agree
:13:52. > :13:56.that the 33% target of women on FTSE 250 boards is achievable? I do,
:13:57. > :14:01.absolutely. There will be some steps we need to take but so far the
:14:02. > :14:06.proposal of working voluntarily with as this has seen some real progress,
:14:07. > :14:18.and we have seen a doubling of women on boards in the FTSE 350 boards to
:14:19. > :14:27.23% now from 2010. And the number of all-male board has dropped from 152,
:14:28. > :14:31.252, today. I expect that we can meet this ambitious and achievable
:14:32. > :14:39.target by 2020. Can I congratulate the front bench on its fantastic,
:14:40. > :14:43.it's fantastically women representation on the front bench as
:14:44. > :14:47.well. Kent University is taking the lead in having almost half of the
:14:48. > :14:51.board of governors being women. What is her department doing to ensure
:14:52. > :14:59.that more women in senior leadership roles at universities? I should
:15:00. > :15:03.start biking graduating Weymouth University for making what is
:15:04. > :15:10.fantastic progress. -- biking graduating Weymouth University. A
:15:11. > :15:17.third of governing bodies are now gender balanced. It is good that we
:15:18. > :15:22.now have the high education funding Council for England which has set an
:15:23. > :15:30.aspirational target of 40% of women on governing bodies. There is an
:15:31. > :15:38.Athena Swan Charter Mark which is something that I strongly support. I
:15:39. > :15:42.would like to congratulate the Secretary of State. She's long been
:15:43. > :15:44.a role model to many women and I know that when she came to
:15:45. > :15:49.Parliament in 2005 it look very different ways. May I ask the
:15:50. > :15:52.Secretary of State what her department is doing to ensure that
:15:53. > :15:58.women across the UK, not just in London, have access to senior
:15:59. > :16:01.executive roles, and can she reassure me that these women will be
:16:02. > :16:09.encouraged not just into traditional sect is usually occupied by women?
:16:10. > :16:13.There are two parts to the question. First, we have extended the women's
:16:14. > :16:16.business Council to 20 members, including organisations based in
:16:17. > :16:21.Scotland and Wales, so we are expanding and making sure that the
:16:22. > :16:25.geographical focus is UK wide, and we are changing so that it has got
:16:26. > :16:29.greater representation of the kinds of industries she's talked about,
:16:30. > :16:34.such as engineering, defence and construction. A good example of that
:16:35. > :16:40.is the Halfords group which is based in the West Midlands whose board is
:16:41. > :16:42.50% women, and in fact their Chief Executive is female, too, and we
:16:43. > :16:47.have got to champion best practice. Will the government lead by example
:16:48. > :16:51.and increasing the number of women in senior management roles in its
:16:52. > :16:58.departments, agencies and other organisations with which it has an
:16:59. > :17:03.influence, including the NHS? We are certainly going to try to make sure
:17:04. > :17:07.that we lead by example. The fact that we have our second female Prime
:17:08. > :17:12.Minister is a very, very good, strong and historic start. As she
:17:13. > :17:14.recognises, the public sector needs to make progress in this, as does
:17:15. > :17:26.the private sector. The minister has mentioned getting
:17:27. > :17:30.female representation in the boardrooms. It is a fact and
:17:31. > :17:37.researched by the Guardian that there are more men called "John" and
:17:38. > :17:41.a fine name it s Mr Speak e that our bosses in the FTSE-100 companies
:17:42. > :17:46.than there are women all together running those companies too. So,
:17:47. > :17:52.what more can this Government do to make sure that women actually see it
:17:53. > :17:57.as their role to run FTSE-100 companies? He's right to point out
:17:58. > :18:02.the problem. In spite of the progress, the reality is if you look
:18:03. > :18:07.at the FTSE 350 companies, only 18 of them have female CEOs. What we
:18:08. > :18:12.need to do is make sure that women are aiming high, but also ensure
:18:13. > :18:16.that, for example, when women have children and come back into the
:18:17. > :18:20.workplace, that their careers are not hindered by that and indeed they
:18:21. > :18:30.can still go on and get to the very top.
:18:31. > :18:39.318 female executive women run 238 across genders. 122 held roles where
:18:40. > :18:44.they heldfy man shall -- held financial roles.
:18:45. > :18:51.Well, I really welcome that question as somebody whose background is
:18:52. > :18:56.being a chartered accountantment actually some of the accounting
:18:57. > :19:00.firms have done great work on pulling through their best and
:19:01. > :19:05.brightest women. It is seeing women in the roles which are pivotal on a
:19:06. > :19:09.board. That is the next step we want to see companies take.
:19:10. > :19:13.Thank you. Can I welcome my Right Honourable friend to her post. She
:19:14. > :19:17.is there on merit and the Conservative Party have shown that
:19:18. > :19:21.women can get to the very top by merit. So, when she's looking at
:19:22. > :19:26.these particular issues, can she give me an assurance that merit will
:19:27. > :19:31.always be the deciding factor on whether people are promoted to a
:19:32. > :19:35.role or not, irrespective of people's gender, race or sexual
:19:36. > :19:39.inclination, that we are recruiting people, recruiters should be blind
:19:40. > :19:44.to those things? Well, I have great news for him. There are plenty of
:19:45. > :19:48.fantastic women out there who are ready, willing and able to get into
:19:49. > :19:53.those top jobs. I can assure him there'll be no come poem on --
:19:54. > :19:58.compromise on merit. We might see a raising of the performance levels.
:19:59. > :20:07.Six, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker, the
:20:08. > :20:12.Government set out the assessment of the welfare policies in the well
:20:13. > :20:15.form and work act. Every Government policy change is carefully
:20:16. > :20:21.considered in line with the legal obligations.
:20:22. > :20:29.Thank you, Mr Speaker. In gender have said from 2010, 26 billion of
:20:30. > :20:32.cuts have been made. 86% of that figure has come from women's income.
:20:33. > :20:37.The statement made by the Secretary of State for work and mention
:20:38. > :20:42.concludes the child policy are carrying on. That will also have an
:20:43. > :20:47.effect on women's incomes. What is she doing to redress that balance?
:20:48. > :20:51.I thank the honourable lady for that question. It is really important to
:20:52. > :20:56.reflect on the economic statistics. There are more women in work than
:20:57. > :20:59.ever before. With the roll out of universal credit it will be a
:21:00. > :21:02.position where being in work pays. It is important to focus on the
:21:03. > :21:05.reforms we have made are assessing people into work and making sure
:21:06. > :21:11.that women are at the forefront of that.
:21:12. > :21:18.Mr Speaker, the minister will be aware of the continuing concern
:21:19. > :21:23.across the United Kingdom on welfare proposals on women with young
:21:24. > :21:27.families. Will she keep under review that continuing concern right across
:21:28. > :21:30.the entire country to ensure that there's no continuing disadvantage
:21:31. > :21:36.to females, particularly with young families? The honourable gentleman
:21:37. > :21:39.makes a really important point about women with families and the
:21:40. > :21:46.childcare support that this Government has invested in, doubling
:21:47. > :21:50.free care child from 15 to 30 hours for 15,000 working parents for three
:21:51. > :21:55.and four year olds. Is an example of how we are making sure that women
:21:56. > :22:02.can get back into work. Can I welcome the Secretary of State
:22:03. > :22:08.and all new anyone ministers and existing ministers to their place.
:22:09. > :22:13.Priority to Brexit it was said it was could ?36 billion to tax every
:22:14. > :22:19.year, not just public services, it will be our jobs, livelihoods and
:22:20. > :22:24.those on low incomes. We know that 80% of wells fall on women. Can the
:22:25. > :22:30.minister assure me these cuts will not fall on women's shoulders?
:22:31. > :22:33.What we are very conscious of is the honourable lady would have heard the
:22:34. > :22:37.Prime Minister say yesterday we have to make the changes which will come
:22:38. > :22:40.about as a result of the EU referendum work for everybody across
:22:41. > :22:47.society and of course that includes women.
:22:48. > :22:53.Thank you. The Equality and Human Rights Commission performs a very
:22:54. > :22:56.important and valuable role. Its appointed the chair and board are
:22:57. > :23:00.well equipped. The commission receives and will continue to
:23:01. > :23:04.receive sufficient funds to enable it to fulfil its full range of
:23:05. > :23:10.statutory duties. I thank the minister for her answer. Can he stop
:23:11. > :23:17.the rumour there are cuts on the way to the HRC budget. 69% down on what
:23:18. > :23:22.it was in 2010. In this climate of post Brexit racism of employment fee
:23:23. > :23:26.charges, is needed more now than ever. It is operating on less than
:23:27. > :23:31.the old Disability Rights Commission, which is only one part
:23:32. > :23:38.of its multiple good works. Mr Speaker, I am very happy to Scottish
:23:39. > :23:42.these rumours when the ERHC was established in 2007 it was done
:23:43. > :23:46.without a full understanding of what it would need from a budgetary point
:23:47. > :23:49.of view. Nearly ten years later we have a better understanding of the
:23:50. > :23:53.running costs and constituency costs of that organisation. It did have a
:23:54. > :23:57.reduction in function in 2013. They have had to make significant
:23:58. > :24:03.savings. At each stage they have done so after huge discussions
:24:04. > :24:07.between our ministry and the ERHC. They are not discussing -- disputing
:24:08. > :24:10.they will be able to fulfil their statutory functions to the highest
:24:11. > :24:17.possible standard. Thank you. With permission I will
:24:18. > :24:20.answer questions nine and 11 together. Spending to support people
:24:21. > :24:25.with disabilities and health conditions will be higher in real
:24:26. > :24:30.terms in every year to 2020 than it was in 2010. The Government set out
:24:31. > :24:34.our assessment of the impact of the welfare policies and work act with
:24:35. > :24:39.similar assessments for previous changes.
:24:40. > :24:43.Mr Speaker, can UN committee on economic and cultural rights called
:24:44. > :24:48.for this Government's regressive cuts to social security to be
:24:49. > :24:52.reversed and for a comprehension assessment on their impact on
:24:53. > :24:57.vulnerable women, children and disabled people. Will she commit to
:24:58. > :25:01.raising these concerns with her colleagues so these shameful cuts
:25:02. > :25:05.are abandoned? I thank the honourable lady for her question.
:25:06. > :25:09.Spending on the main disability benefits went up by ?3 billion in
:25:10. > :25:15.real terms over the course of the last Parliament. Spending on dip and
:25:16. > :25:22.DLA will be higher than spending was on DLA in 20106789 our welfare
:25:23. > :25:26.reforms will ensure the billions we spend better reflect today's
:25:27. > :25:28.understanding of disability and it will enable disabled people to live
:25:29. > :25:34.independent lives. Thank you. Can I give a personal
:25:35. > :25:36.welcome to the minister, a former colleague on the education Select
:25:37. > :25:40.Committee. The minister will be aware of the long promised work and
:25:41. > :25:45.health programme from our Government and that disabled people are still
:25:46. > :25:48.awaiting publication of the green paper to map out what employment
:25:49. > :25:54.support will be made available for those with disabilities. Does the
:25:55. > :25:58.minister agree with me that her Government must now map out the time
:25:59. > :26:05.line for publication and ensure sufficient funding is made available
:26:06. > :26:10.for disabled people who have born the brunt of austerity cuts I thank
:26:11. > :26:15.the lady for her welcome. I very much enployed -- enjoyed the time we
:26:16. > :26:21.spent on the education committee together. We will produce the paper
:26:22. > :26:25.to build a strategy which will work for them. It is critically important
:26:26. > :26:29.that we get more disabled people into work. I spent time before the
:26:30. > :26:32.general election as a PPS to the minister for disabled people. I know
:26:33. > :26:37.how hard he worked to promote disability confident, to make sure
:26:38. > :26:39.we have good examples and companies we can champion who show that
:26:40. > :26:44.bringing disabled people into work is not only good for disabled people
:26:45. > :26:48.but good for the economy and good for individual companies.
:26:49. > :26:52.Number one, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am
:26:53. > :26:56.delighted to be able to stand at the dispatch box today as the Minister
:26:57. > :27:01.for Women and equalities. I want the House to know this Government is one
:27:02. > :27:04.which is committed to tackling inequality wherever it exists so we
:27:05. > :27:08.can have a country for everyone. We want to see opportunity levelled up.
:27:09. > :27:16.We should never accept the status quo in a society where there are
:27:17. > :27:23.still some of our girls undergoing FGM. Where home phobic bullying
:27:24. > :27:28.takes place. It was a part of my work and I will bring all that
:27:29. > :27:31.passion and practicality to my role as Minister for Women and
:27:32. > :27:36.equalities. Can I welcome the new Secretary of
:27:37. > :27:39.State to her place? She will no doubt have heard the Prime Minister
:27:40. > :27:43.say in answer to my colleague's question, which was more to do with
:27:44. > :27:49.violence against women, it is the best way to ratify the Istanbul
:27:50. > :27:54.convention. Will the new Secretary of State support my honourable
:27:55. > :27:58.friend's bill which commits the Government to do more by ratifying
:27:59. > :28:03.the convention? I take on board the points he made. I spent much of the
:28:04. > :28:07.last three-and-a-half years internationally pressing for
:28:08. > :28:11.stronger action to combat violence against women and girls, including
:28:12. > :28:16.being at the commission on status of women earlier this year, in March,
:28:17. > :28:20.where I was with my honourable friend, the minister for equalities.
:28:21. > :28:26.He is right to highlight this issue. I will get back to him with an
:28:27. > :28:29.updated Government position. I welcome the Ministry of Defence's
:28:30. > :28:33.decision to allow women to fight on the front line. Can I ask my
:28:34. > :28:37.honourable friend the minister to explain what steps the Government
:28:38. > :28:43.will take to encourage women to take up these new posts? Well, as he has
:28:44. > :28:49.pointed out, there is the recent decision enables women to serve in
:28:50. > :28:54.the Royal Marines t royal armoured corps, infantry, so they will be
:28:55. > :29:00.able to fill those close ground combat roles. With reputting in a
:29:01. > :29:04.range of activity, including improved processes. There is a
:29:05. > :29:10.target of 15% of all recruitments to be female by 2020.
:29:11. > :29:16.Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Government took six long Mondays to
:29:17. > :29:21.release its response to women and equalities into transgender
:29:22. > :29:25.equality. The LGB campaigners have called the Government's response
:29:26. > :29:34.lots of precise words signifying nothing. Why did the Government
:29:35. > :29:39.reject the main recommendations, regarded transpeople should be
:29:40. > :29:46.changed to gender identity? Well, Mr Speaker, I do refute that.
:29:47. > :29:50.The response to the committee took representation from over 12
:29:51. > :29:54.different Government departments and Government bodies. I was a
:29:55. > :29:57.comprehensive piece of work and many of the recommendations were accepted
:29:58. > :30:02.and followed up. Not least the can commitment to look at gender
:30:03. > :30:06.recognition act, one of the things that transpeople tell me is the most
:30:07. > :30:11.disturbing, long-winded and in much need of reform. This department
:30:12. > :30:18.takes very, very seriously our commitment to transpeople.
:30:19. > :30:22.Will my honourable friend join me in congratulating the organisers of the
:30:23. > :30:26.2016 Essex women's business experience and networking event in
:30:27. > :30:32.Southend? Will her department do all they can to help and encourage women
:30:33. > :30:36.set up their own businesses? Mr Speaker, I am delighted to hear
:30:37. > :30:43.about the success of the experience, which I am told offered a range of
:30:44. > :30:49.networks and opportunities to inspire entrepreneur. The Government
:30:50. > :30:56.is working very hard to support them with not least a 2.2 million woman
:30:57. > :30:59.in broadband package to help women engage the confident they need to
:31:00. > :31:05.start their own businesses. Can I welcome the Secretary of State
:31:06. > :31:11.to her place? A report published this week detailed by 2014, 2015
:31:12. > :31:16.two-thirds of children classified as living under the poverty line where
:31:17. > :31:21.from families where one parent was in work. Should the Government
:31:22. > :31:26.commit to abandoning the cuts to work allowances which will see low
:31:27. > :31:34.to income families who are struggling to keep their heads above
:31:35. > :31:38.water struggle focus on eleaving these households. One of the most
:31:39. > :31:41.important things we have seen happen under this Government and the last
:31:42. > :31:45.Government was a dramatic fall in unemployment and in the end, as I no
:31:46. > :31:48.efrom my own childhood experience, where my dad spent a year
:31:49. > :31:54.unemployed, the most important thing we can do to combat poverty is to
:31:55. > :31:58.create jobs. She is right to say we want to go beyond that and see
:31:59. > :32:05.people doing better in work. It is not only the right thing for them to
:32:06. > :32:19.do and their own household circumstances, the smart thing
:32:20. > :32:27.In September, I am hosting the first engineering festival. Will the
:32:28. > :32:31.Secretary of State join me there? Well, this Wiltshire festival of
:32:32. > :32:35.engineering does sound like a great initiative. I would be delighted if
:32:36. > :32:41.she could send me details and I will see if I can come along to it. The
:32:42. > :32:47.good news is there is 13,000 more entries by girls to maths and A
:32:48. > :32:53.levels compared to 2010. We need to do more to challenge the per
:32:54. > :33:00.sections which put girls off from doing these subjects. The number of
:33:01. > :33:06.organisations have conveyed disdisappointment at the committee
:33:07. > :33:09.transgender enquiry. Stone wall's insistent and further evidence
:33:10. > :33:13.believing it has sufficient evidence to take proper action. Does the
:33:14. > :33:19.minister accept the assessment that this has been a lost opportunity to
:33:20. > :33:24.ensure that all trans people are clearly protected and will she
:33:25. > :33:27.commit to working them and others to achieve true equality for all
:33:28. > :33:32.trans-people? Well, yes, Mr Speaker. Once again I
:33:33. > :33:35.refute the allegations that this has been a missed opportunity. We have
:33:36. > :33:39.taken on board so many of the recommendations. It with was
:33:40. > :33:41.ground-breaking piece of work. It has encouraged 12 different
:33:42. > :33:46.Government bodies and organisations to look at what they do and makes
:33:47. > :33:50.some strong commitments to the transgender population and we
:33:51. > :33:54.support them and we are looking out for their needs. The Secretary of
:33:55. > :33:58.State said she was committed to stamping out inequality and the
:33:59. > :34:03.Government was committed to stamping out inequality. One of the starkest
:34:04. > :34:06.areas is on sentencing. For every single category of offence a man is
:34:07. > :34:12.more likely to be sent to prison than a woman. To give an example,
:34:13. > :34:17.for child cruelty and neglect. 33% of men convicted were sent to
:34:18. > :34:22.prison. Only 15% of women were sent to prison. Will she write to the
:34:23. > :34:26.chairman of the Sentencing Council to instruct him to treat men and
:34:27. > :34:30.women the same when they come before the courts?
:34:31. > :34:36.The honourable gentleman clearly knows that the judiciary are
:34:37. > :34:42.independent of government, and rightly so. There are no gender
:34:43. > :34:45.preferences in sentencing guidelines. Every sentence is based
:34:46. > :34:50.on the offence committed and other mitigating factors. He also knows
:34:51. > :34:53.that, in the offence he identified, although women are less likely to go
:34:54. > :34:58.to prison, the Saint and says they receive when they do are actually
:34:59. > :35:04.longer than their male counterparts. -- the sentences. This week we have
:35:05. > :35:09.learned that the pensions portfolio has been downgraded from Minister of
:35:10. > :35:15.State to run on the Secretary of State. She agree with me that the
:35:16. > :35:20.vast inequalities facing women and those that will face future
:35:21. > :35:25.pensioners under a new state pension are suddenly shameful that the
:35:26. > :35:30.Minister of State that has not been appointed to deal with these
:35:31. > :35:34.inequalities and the uncertainties that retirees will face following
:35:35. > :35:37.the vote to leave the EU? I thank the honourable gentleman for that
:35:38. > :35:42.question. The Department for Work and Pensions takes his
:35:43. > :35:45.responsibilities seriously on these issues. The department was
:35:46. > :35:50.strengthened by having an additional half of Minister, and I think that
:35:51. > :35:56.it is trivial to focus on the job title when in fact we get qualified,
:35:57. > :36:03.competent and determined people into the right roles. Thank you, Mr
:36:04. > :36:06.Speaker. I can graduate my Right Honourable Friend on her
:36:07. > :36:12.appointment. One of the key decision shall have to date quickly is that
:36:13. > :36:15.the two-year period of discussion on clusters termination comes to an
:36:16. > :36:20.end. I've written to her already. Will she undertake to have a meeting
:36:21. > :36:25.with me and a delegation from the Hindu immunity who are determined to
:36:26. > :36:34.see this illogical discrimination removed from the statute book --
:36:35. > :36:37.caste the scrum and is in. I will locate his letter at the Department
:36:38. > :36:46.and make sure that I read it very carefully. Urgent question, Neil
:36:47. > :36:51.Carmichael. The reason I applied for an urgent question this morning...
:36:52. > :36:58.We don't need to go into any of that. The right now gentleman needs
:36:59. > :37:03.to ask the Secretary of State for a statement on... He will get his
:37:04. > :37:06.opportunity in a minute. Can I ask about the situation with school
:37:07. > :37:14.funding and whether the department can meet its timetable? Minister,
:37:15. > :37:21.the Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening. Thank
:37:22. > :37:24.you Mr Speaker. I'm committed to introducing fairer funding for
:37:25. > :37:25.schools. This is an important reform