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
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