Oral Answers to Questions

Daniel Zeichner Excerpts

Thursday 22nd February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alex Sobel (Leeds North West) (Lab/Co-op)]

8. How many and what proportion of employers within the scope of the gender pay gap regulations have published gender pay gap data.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

13. How many and what proportion of employers within the scope of the gender pay gap regulations have published gender pay gap data.

[Mr Paul Sweeney (Glasgow North East) (Lab/Co-op)]

15. How many and what proportion of employers within the scope of the gender pay gap regulations have published gender pay gap data.

--- Later in debate ---

[Amber Rudd]

It is incredibly important that we do address closing the gender pay gap. Transparency is one of the key ways that we will achieve that. Having this compulsion of reporting on gender pay is an important first step, but we will take it further. We will engage with businesses to see what measures they will be putting in place to address the gender pay gap. My experience, when I talk to businesses about this, is that when they realise that they have such a gender pay gap—to some, it is a revelation—they are moving to put in training and other measures to address it.

[Daniel Zeichner]

Only three universities have so far reported on this. On a day when academics are bravely standing up to defend their pensions, will the Minister tell us when she expects that the gender pay gap will be eliminated in our universities?

[Amber Rudd]

I urge all universities to address reporting their gender pay gap. It is the law; they need to do so. I will say a word on the other matter, if I may. It is important that this dispute between students, effectively, the universities and their staff is resolved, because people need to get their degrees. I would urge the striking lecturers to get back to work.