Live Women and Equalities Questions House of Commons

have confirmed in a referendum. But of course, our commitment to human

rights will be maintained, and it will be maintained not just

domestically, but also abroad. Questions to the Minister for women

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

women and equality is, Justine Greening. Careers guidance should

help all young people to get the inspiration and advice and guidance

they need for success in working life. We want to see schools getting

impartial guidance, but also high-quality guidance. That's why

we're investing ?90 million over this Parliament to improve careers

provision for young people. She is right, good quality career advice is

essential. Neither further plans for the government to remove barriers

from women when they progress with their careers, particularly when

they have young children? He is absolutely right to highlight this.

When we look in detail at the gender pay gap, it is often starting a

family that is the biggest challenge we face in reducing that pay gap

further. We have given more than 20 million employees the right to

request flexible working. We are also using shared parental leave,

because childcare is not just an issue for women. We have doubled the

free hours of childcare provided the appearance. Will the government

commit today to publish its response to the women's and equality select

committee report on the gender pay gap, before this house prices for

the Christmas recess, the report that was published in March this

year? This is an important report, and we have taken time to consider

it carefully. She will be aware that we laid gender pay gap regulations

in recent days and we will be publishing that report shortly. Is

the government as committed to eliminating the part-time gender pay

gap as they are to be eliminating the full-time gender pay gap? We do

want to see that take place. Indeed, the full-time gender pay gap has

never been lower than it is today, but it is important that we look

beyond that and understand that people working part-time also have

the same rights to know gender pay gap. Does the Secretary of State

agree that while the gender gap has been reduced as it has, the fact

that the full-time workers pay gap is that a differential of 13.9%. Has

the Minister considered a system for employers that do not comply? We try

to work with employers on a voluntary basis. This is not about

forcing employers, although we have laid gender pay gap regulations on

transparency. It's also about business understanding this is an

issue they have an interest in fixing. We laid regulations on

reporting the last few days. We also want to see business generally

grasping the nettle of why this issue matters so much. Female

part-time workers enjoy 6% more pay than their male equivalents, and at

a time when we are encouraging more men to take their fair share of

childcare responsibilities. As she is concerned as I am that the gap is

increasing in the long term? What is interesting is that we have seen

people's work habits and routines change over recent years. They want

to see Noel gender pay gap, irrespective of which gender is

disadvantaged. Historically, this has been a significant issue for

women rather than men, but we do want to see now gender pay gap,

irrespective of gender. The provision of an audiovisual

passenger information system is mandated for all new trains and has

been since 1999. For older trains, operators have until the 30th of

January 2020 to fit an AV passenger system. The rest of the fleet will

be upgraded or replaced by 2020. I thank him for his reply, but how can

we encourage staff on a to make announcements on the trains to help

visually impaired passengers, when either of those visual displays are

not fitted on the trains or as is the case most of the time, they're

actually not working. She raises a very important issue. It is actually

a condition of an operator's licence conditions to publish a disabled

passenger protection policy. That includes in times of delay or

disruption and the plans have to be approved by the office of rail and

road. Additionally, disability awareness training is mandated

referral customer service staff will stop this week, the all party

Parliamentary group on disability published uninformative report into

measures to close the disability employment gap. One of the issues

raised by disabled people are benefits being cut, which reduced

their independence, reducing in the removal of the mobility vehicles.

When will the government reverses policy? That is a very important

question, I will have to look into it. It is an important question, but

it is different and that's which is on the paper, which explains why the

Minister will have to look into it. Having a disabled access train

service is important, but disabled people need to get to the train

station in the first place. What is the Minister doing to make sure

local authorities have a more persistent approach to making our

built environment more disability accessible, particularly having more

consistency on shared space schemes. Shared space schemes are very

controversial area and the title doesn't really help people. What we

are trying to do, local authorities are trying to do, is remove visual

clutter and improve the built environment, but it can't be done at

the expense of disabled people. What we're doing within the department is

having a work group looking at what good practice is within this area

and we will be publishing that shortly.

In terms of video visual information. Can the Government

confirm they will make an amendment to the Buses Bill that's going

through the Lords? The Government put forward an amendment to

introduce AV displays on buses in the Lords and the Bill has finished

its passage and it will be introduced here in the New Year and

we are keen to see that amendment come forward. I was very pleased to

get that into the Bill. Number three, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. When companies have a senior team that

better reflect the customers they serve it is better for business and

it makes good business sense. Since 2010 we have more than doubled the

number of women on boards in the FTSE 350 and we have committed to

33% on those boards and the executive committees of these

companies by 2020. Can I thank my honourable friend for her answer. I

work that Plymouth University has been doing to ensure there are more

women on its governing body. As well as the work that the Government is

doing with the FTSE companies, what steps is her department to make sure

that women are on boards of universities across the country?

Clearly, Plymouth is always a trail playser as we know, one of his

predecessors is Nancy Aster and Plymouth University is no exception.

Female leaders in universities and colleges are powerful role models.

We supported the last women count report on higher education which

thoughed a third of Government bodies. I welcome the female

representation on boards is rising, however the number of female

executive directorships are still ridiculously low. Accounting for

less than 10% of the total in the FTSE 100 and less than 6% of the

FTSE 250 directorships. How are these companies being encouraged to

promote diversity within their executive pipelines by the

Government? The honourable lady makes an excellent and very

important point. We do want to see more women executive on boards which

is why the Hampton Alexander requirement for work on the pipeline

is so vitally important and that's why that target of 33% female

executive committees and those that report to them by 2020 is so

important. Thank you mrrks speaker. What steps

is the minister taking to ensure that successful women entrepreneurs

and I think of people of Leah Totten is projected as a role model for

young females who aspire to follow in their food steps. It is vital

that we celebrate those successful female entrepreneurs, there are more

female listen head businesses than ever before, but if women were

starting up their businesses at the same rate as men, there would be one

million more. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Number four.

Thank you, Mr Speakerment the sex and relationship education guidance

was issued in 2000 and ministers from, MPs from all parties and

indeed those here who have been ministers in my role previously over

the last 16 years know that it is complex as an area, but updating it

means we need a thoughtful and measured approach. However, I was

clear at the Education Select Committee that we are looking at the

SRE guidance to ensure that all young people are supported to

develop healthy and respectful relationships.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the Secretary of State outlined, five

common Select Committee chairs, countless children's charities, MPs

across this House, experts and academics agree that good quality,

statutory, age appropriate relationship education in schools

will provide children with the knowledge and resilience they need

to develop healthy, and respectful relationships. And ensure they are

less vulnerable to sexual harassment and violence. The Government's

finally accepted that currently equality and availability of SRE is

not good enough. Will the Government look to amend the children and

social work Bill to introduce good quality statutory SRE that applies

to every school? We've already set out that we are

actively looking at the SRE guidance. It was first brought in 16

years ago and I think we all recognise that the world that

children are growing up in now is very different to that world. She

particularly raises in her questions irk use of LGBT issues and sexual

harassment and these are important areas where I think we can do

better. I'm proud of this Government's record on LGBT issues

and bringing forward same-sex marriage. But this is an important

area and one we're looking at. A young trans person in England is

more likely to have self-harmed and twice as likely as to have attempted

suicide than their peers. More should be done to improve LGBT and

sex and relationships in schools to reduce the shocking statistics which

have heartbreaking outcomes for these young people? She is right and

no child should suffer the kind of discrimination and harassment that

she mentions in her question. Earlier this year in September we

actually set out ?2.8 million of funding over the next three years to

particularly focus on tackling homophobic, but trans phobic

bullying that takes place in schools. It is important alongside

the education and we're clear that we need to change attitudes as well.

I appreciate the answers given by the Secretary of State around the

guidance for sex and relationship, it is 17 years out of date. At the

last women and equalities, she said last women and equalities, she said

she would provide an update shortly. Now she is carefully looking. It

doesn't include the internet and online grooming, it doesn't mention

grooming full stop. The wrote to the minister last month and she has not

replied. Children in this country are waiting as for a reply when they

will get proper sex and relationship guidance. She wrote to me on 17th

November and I will be respond to go her. We have been very clear that we

do want to see how we can some progress on this area, but as many

of the questions here have underlined this is a very complex

area with many different aspects that we need to work carefully to

get right whilst I know that within this House, there have been

excellent reports that have underlined the areas where the

guidance should be looked at for being updated. There is also a

broader debate about what is the right way to do that and this does

need to be handled very sensitively and that's why we're going to make

sure we take the time to get process right and then set it out to MPs.

Number five, please, Mr Speaker. Thank you, Mr Speaker. With

permission I will answer questions five and 11 together. The Secretary

of State is aware of this issue and we had a debate on it in this

chamber just last week. He has clearly stated that the introduction

of further transitional arrangements cannot be justified given the

imperative need to focus public resources on helping those in most

need. There are no plans to go past the ?1.1 billion concession when

Parliament introduced the changes. I thank the Minister for That

response, disappointingly predictable as it was. Can she tell

me if anyone in Government has done an analysis of how much it will cost

to implement transitional measures in comparison to how much it will

cost the Government financially when the WASPIE women take them to court

and went they win? Consistent is the way I would prefer to describe it.

The Government looked at a variety of different proposals which have

come forward in many forms both from the campaign and opposition parties

and as I clearly stated, we are not going to make any further

transitional arrangements. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The minister

must know that the lack of transitional support is causing real

hardship to women in her constituency as it is in mine. If

there are proposals, that have come up since 2011 Act, will she publish

all of those? Will she publish the research the Government has done so

they can see what they've done? As the honourable gentleman will

know, the welfare system provides a safety net for those who are

experiencing hardship and we have made it clear we have provided ?1.1

billion in transitional concessions alreadiment the Government has

published as many great deal figures on this and indeed, it is very

difficult for the Government to publish further statistics on

proposals that have come forward from both the WASPIE campaign and

opposition parties when it is unclear what provisions are going to

be included around those transitional arrangements for women

as well as men. With the effects of austerity being

felt, by women, another Government policy affecting women is the 4% tax

on child maintenance. Does she accept this places an additional tax

on survivors of domestic violence and will she ensure this is

addressed? Well, I thank the honourable lady for that question.

I'm not sure how it relates to the WASPIE campaign. I answered

questions on this yesterday and at that point no mention was made about

the charges made to those parents who are in the collect and pay

system. Of course, what we want to encourage and are determined to do

so, is as many families as possible to have family based arrangements

and indeed, in cases of domestic violence, bank details can be passed

safely, including bank accounts that don't have a geographic location so

we protect women and have as few families pay in the collect and pay

arrangements. Six. Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is vital that we earn

courage talented women into scientific careers and those working

in stem earn 19% on average which is helping to tackle the gender pay gap

if we can make sure those are women. We have stem ambassadors, 40% of

those wum and Mr Speaker can I take this opportunity to put on record my

thanks to Tim Peake who did an amazing job of working with schools

whilst he was on his space trip earlier in the year and I have met

many, many schoolchildren who have their interest in stem stimulated

from the work he did whilst on his trip. In a free-market the shortage

of science teachers to inspire young women would be addressed by a rising

wage. It's worth a try! Well, we are trying to make sure

that some of the very best graduates with stem subjects do go into

teaching and that's why we have our bursary schemes to help encourage

that and we are seeing some fantastic teachers now coming into

the profession and that's going to help us build the stem pipeline

further. Research from the institution of engineering and

technology shows that science, technology, engineering, and maths

based toys are three times more likely to be targeted at boys than

at girls. Now I should declare an interest as a chartered engineer,

will she declare her support for the let toys be toys campaign in the

run-up to Christmas give girls and boys real choice as to the kind of

toys that they can enjoy and the careers that they can have.

Well, I do think she is right to highlight this. There are no boys

careers and girls careers anymore. These are careers that should be

open to all children. It shouldn't matter what your gender is and as we

have talked about, part of how we fix this challenge is by working in

schools and I was proud last month when my own, one of my own schools

won one of the stem inspiration awards for its stem club that it

runs on a Tuesday lunch time. These are small initiative, but they have

a profound effect on improving children's interest in taking stem

forward. Number seven, please, Mr Speaker.

The Government is undertaking a post implementation review of the

introduction of fees for proceedings and employment tribunals. The review

is considering the impact of the fees have had on both women and

indeed those with other protected characteristics and the type of

cases they bring. The Ministry of Justice will announce the

conclusions of the review in due course.

The minister will surely be aware of a wealth of evidence being submitted

to that review that tribunal claims have fallen by 80%. Only 1% of women

who have been discriminated against at work brought a claim to tribunal.

There has been a raft of evidence suggesting that tribunal fees are

denying women access to justice. Is she going to make representations

about this? There is no doubt the number of tribunals have gone do you

think but there is good news. People have been aderted away from

acrimonious hearings and into mediation and ACAS have given people

the opportunity to resolicitor their differences through conciliation and

that scheme was used by over 92,000 people last year.

It is well-documented that the Minister has been sitting on her

government's equality impact assessment since October 2015, and

although I have made several requests to have of this document, I

have been consistently told, in due course. I'm still waiting for an

explanation of how long that means. Given that this week, the minister

was able to publish and equality analysis of further changes it wants

to make to employment tribunal is, will the Minister now committed to

publishing the document announced and on her desk in 2015, before we

break the Christmas? The honourable lady has made her point very

clearly. I will speak to the Ministry of Justice and we will get

back to as soon as they possibly can. Last month, the government

welcomed the first report of the independent review by Sir Philip

Hampton and Dame Helen Alexander into women in the executive pipeline

and were pleased to welcome their recommendation that FTSE 100

companies should have at least 33% of the executive pipeline editions

filled by women by 2020. In addition, this week, the government

leaked draft gender regulations, to give unprecedented pay transparency

to everyone working for a private or voluntary sector employer of 250

staff or more, and that means these regulations will affect 8000

employers and over 11 million employees. On the topic of the human

rights commission, how can the Minister believe the budget

reduction will enable them to fulfil their functions and why has the

government continued to refuse to make an impact assessment. The

commission perform an important role in the chair is well-equipped for

the task. The commission will receive sufficient funds permit to

fulfil its full range of statutory duties. Research from guide dogs has

shown that 42% of surveyed assistant dog owners were refused carriage in

a taxi in the past year, despite it being illegal. Ministers and the

Department for Transport have shown an effort to do something about

this. What will her department do to support those efforts? Assistant

dogs are of course vital to the independence of many disabled people

and their continued refusal by taxi drivers is inexcusable. I'm very

grateful to him for his commitment in addressing this issue and

eliminating this discrimination. He makes his case very profoundly, and

my department will do all it can to support his important work. We

commissioned research revealing that as of the Autumn Statement, 86% of

net savings to the Treasury since 2010 through tax and benefit

measures, have come from women, an increase from the last Autumn

Statement at 81%. At what point will the Minister deem this serious

enough to warrant action from the Treasury? When the figure reaches

90%, 100%? Will you publish a cumulative gender impact analysis of

their policies? One of the best things we can do to help women

financially is to have a strong economy and that is precisely what

we have done, which is why there are record employment levels for women

now. That is good news, and I think her question misses the raising of

personal loans, which is disproportionately helped lift women

out of tax altogether. One of the changes to the state pension, which

everyone should welcome, but isn't as well-known as it should be, was

the recognition given for the year is spent by women in bringing up

children, which now counts as a national insurance credit towards a

full state pension. Gucci update the house today on a number of women are

starting to benefit from this and what the estimated value during the

mother's retirement is? That could she update? Over 3 million women

stand to benefit from these changes. For women who reach pension age in

2016/17, this should benefit them ?207,000. This is more on average

than women have ever received. According to age UK, that is good

evidence that older people with cancer, are too often undertreated

due to judgments made on the basis of their age rather than their

overall health and fitness. Age discrimination in NHS is illegal, so

can the Minister tell us what discussion she has had with

colleagues in the Department of Health about plans to increase

cancer survival rates for people of all ages? As she will know, the DWP

has recently published a Green paper and we're looking at working very

closely to make sure all the people and pensioners are treated fairly by

all government departments and services. Earlier, she stated she

didn't wish to see a gender pay gap, so what steps are the government

taking to reduce that gender pay gap? Eliminating the gender pay gap

remains an absolute priority for this government. Transparency is one

of the most important and powerful tools for shaping behaviour and

driving change. That's why we will be requiring large employers to

publish the gender pay gap, and draft regulations were laid on

Tuesday the 6th of December. If parliament approves this

legislation, regulations will commence in April 20 17. Does the

Minister agree with the Resolution Foundation that cuts to universal

credit risk undermining disabled people and shouldn't those cars be

reversed now? As he will know, changes were announced in the Autumn

Statement to the taper rate of the universal credit. The reality of

changes to the welfare system is that universal credit is encouraging

more people into work, but once in work, it is helping them to make

sure they get more work and better work. In research, nine out of ten

parents tell us they want sex and relationship education in our

schools to be compulsory. Does the government agree with them? I very

much welcome to the report that her own committee published on this, and

this is precisely why we want to look very actively at this issue.

She will know from our meeting we had recently that I do think it's

important we have sex education networks in the 21st-century. It is

time that we look at this and I'm very conscious of the overall view

of the house that this is a matter we should take on board. As she will

move from her own previous role as a Minister for women and equality is,

it is a complex issue and we are looking to address it. The United

Nations committee on the rights of Persons with disabilities have found

that this government's pursuits of cuts to benefits don't meet the

threshold. What will the government do to rectify this? The government

has committed to provide support for disabled people who need it, as is

reflected by the fact that spending does support disabled people and

people with health conditions will be higher in real terms in every

year to 2020. The intention of the recommendations set out by the

United Nations are already incorporated into UK policies. She

has committed that by the end of the year she will issue a consultation

document on the future of caste discrimination of legislation. Gucci

update the house and when that document will be released? I am

grateful for his question. He is right that we do intend to issue a

full consultation on how best to provide the legal protection that we

want to see against caste discrimination. When we do that, we

know that he and his community will want to take part only in that

consultation. It took the government must adhere to come up with these

then review on the management of transgender offenders. There were

deaths of two transgender women held in men's prisons. Can the Minister

tell us why the government failed to acknowledge those tragedies in the

review and why their proposals are so meagre? I would absolutely

question any of those statements that he has made. The response is

not meagre, it is thorough. The government is firmly committed to

ensuring that transgender offenders are treated lawfully and decently

and the rights are respected. A revised instruction, following a

review of transgender offenders, was published in November. It is already

being applied with school implementation by the 1st of

January. In the two months between the 14th of September on the 15th of

November, over 20,000 families has their tax credits reinstated after

they were unfairly removed. Can I ask what work you have done to find

out the impact on women, particularly single parents, who

were disproportionately affected? My colleague the financial secretary

took the decision not to renew the contract precisely because of those

challenges. I will make sure the financial secretary gets back to her

with further details on what she has specifically asked about. Every

member has the opportunity to vote in the Estimates process. The

liaison committee is the body which has been chosen by this house to

represent the interests of the house in selecting topics for debate on

Estimates days. If members wish to examine a particular estimate with

regard to devolved administrations, they are free to make

representations to the liaison committee in order to do so and in

fact, encouraged to do so. The procedures committee is conducting

an enquiry into the Estimates process, to which