Select Committee on Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission

BERR SUB-COMMITTEE INQUIRY INTO PROGRESS ON THE WOMEN AND WORK COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS: ORAL EVIDENCE SESSION WITH HARRIET HARMAN, MONDAY 29 OCTOBER

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

  Although there is a flurry of activity by the government to fulfil the Women and Work Commission (WWC) recommendations, our main concern is that there has been a lack of strategic direction and leadership. The complex and inter-connected causes of the pay gap mean that various departments and bodies must take action to ensure success, and a co-ordinated lead is key to this. Currently there is no analysis of what impact the various initiatives will actually have on the pay gap; and no clear indication of how this piecemeal approach will achieve the intended "catalytic effect".

  We think it would be helpful for the Committee to explore:

    —  How the Secretary of State for Equalities intends to lead on the WWC action plan.

    —  How will the newly established Government Equalities Office (GEO) work to ensure that momentum is not lost.

    —  What mechanisms the GEO will put in place to ensure progress and delivery of the Government's action plan.

    —  What success will look like.

EHRC RECOMMENDATIONS

  We have identified various examples of tools that can be used by the GEO; as well as what leadership from the Secretary of State and GEO should look like in order to have a major impact on the pay gap:

Implementation of the Gender equality duty

  Implementation of the Gender Equality Duty (GED) is vital to closing the gender pay gap. We think that the Secretary of State should work with ministerial colleagues to ensure that their departments' GED schemes and plans tackle the causes of the gender pay gap in line with their statutory obligations. Effective implementation of the GED across Government will also ensure that the GEO achieve their Public Service Agreement 15 which includes reducing the gender pay gap.

    —  The delivery strategy explains that the GEO must work with delivery departments on key policy actions; and with government departments, local authorities, government offices and EHRC on its approach for helping public bodies comply with the their duties.

Department for Communities and Local Governments (DCLG)

    —  GEO to ensure that the DCLG draw Regional Development Authorities' attention to their outstanding responsibilities for complying with the statutory GED requirements regarding the national pay gap.

    —  Explore with DCLG how RDAs can use their knowledge of local business and labour markets to link up local women, particularly ethnic minority women.

Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS)

    —  GEO to ensure that DIUS co-ordinate strategic action to tackle the pay gap within its remit and to draw the attention of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to their outstanding responsibilities for complying with their statutory GED requirements.

    —  Work with DIUS to improve provision of Apprenticeships. More needs to be done to ensure equality of pay, opportunity and training across the board, as well as encouraging young women to enrol in male-dominated occupations. It is imperative that we open up choices and opportunity if there is to be significant headway in breaking down occupational segregation. One particular concern is the continuing negative impact of the exemption from the minimum wage of apprentices under 19. Therefore, consideration should be given to the introduction of a minimum wage for apprentices.

    —  Ensure that the DIUS provides ongoing financial support and roll-out of the various skills initiatives, such as Train to Gain, and Women and Work Sector Pathways initiative.

    —  The development of the adult careers service must focus on the opening up of non-traditional and managerial roles for women, particularly black and ethnic minority women who face even greater occupational segregation.

Department for Children, Schools and Families

    —  Work with DCSF to push the necessity of good quality work experience to enable girls and boys to access non-traditional work placements. Work experience placements have a significant impact on career choices, particularly for children from low socio-economic backgrounds, and there has been little progress in this area to date.

Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)

    —  GEO to ensure that BERR continues to work with employers, raising awareness of the case for expanding flexible working. Explore support that could be made for business, particularly SMEs to help them manage transforming the workplace, for example, a Transformation Fund to open up new flexibilities to workers at all levels. Consult on the case for extending the right to request flexible working to all employees.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

    —  Work with DWP to improve support for women returning to work after a career break. Could the announced expansion of the New Deal for lone parents to include couple parents in the current pilot areas throughout London also be piloted for women who have been out of the labour market for five years?

    —  DWP's green paper "In work, better off" mentions the need to address the barriers facing ethnic minority women in particular. Ensure that these barriers, which include the needs for accessible, affordable and flexible childcare, employer discrimination, financial disincentives for second earners, are a main focus in the employment strategy.

Department of Health (DH)

    —  Encourage DH to focus on improving the pay and progression of those working in low-paid, low-skilled jobs in the social care sector, many of whom are women. The five point plan for social care contained some useful measures (including the skills academy and the new Social care Board) but remain unclear as to how this will feed through to pay. There is also no mention of recruitment and retention. Ensure that this is included in the DH's obligations under the GED.

25 October 2007





 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2008
Prepared 9 February 2008