Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether each Department has set a target for the elimination of the gender pay gap in their workforce; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
In 2017, the Government introduced world-leading legislation that made it statutory for organisations with 250 or more employees to report annually on their gender pay gap. Government departments are covered by the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 which came into force on 31 March 2017. These regulations underpin the Public Sector Equality Duty and require the relevant organisations to publish their gender pay gap data by 30 March annually.
Each year, in addition to reporting the figures required by the legislation each department publishes a stand alone report outlining the reasons that contribute to their gender pay gap and the action plans aimed at reducing it. At present there is no set date by which gender pay gaps will be eliminated and it is acknowledged that it will take many years.
Individual departmental gender pay gap reports are available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government Property Agency has to recognise the PCS union for its facility management contracts.
Answered by Simon Hart - Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
Recognition of Trade Union bodies is a matter for the relevant employers to determine. The Government Property Agency works with its Facilities Management providers to ensure effective engagement of both parties in cases where recognition has not yet been achieved.
Contracts also set out agreement that the Principles of Good Employment Practice (as published by the Cabinet Office) will apply in regarding the employee engagement. A key principle of this is:
“Government recognises the premise that engagement between employee, employer and a recognised trade union where appropriate can be a key to unlocking productivity and creating a motivated workforce that feels respected, involved, heard, is well led and valued by those they work for and with.