Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Robin Walker Excerpts
Wednesday 25th January 2023

(1 year, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Kemi Badenoch Portrait Kemi Badenoch
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I am afraid that the Government will not accept those proposals. The hon. Lady conflates equal pay and gender pay gap reporting, which are not the same thing. This is an area that has a lot of nuance, and Labour needs to do a little more homework.

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)
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Does my right hon. Friend agree that one of the most effective ways to close the gender pay gap is to support women who are returning to work after pregnancy? Will she therefore use her good offices to encourage cross-Government work to improve the affordability and availability of childcare for new mothers?

Kemi Badenoch Portrait Kemi Badenoch
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Both sides of the House can agree that more support and more work is needed on this issue. Childcare is one of the reasons why women leave the workplace, and we are doing everything we can to support women to have appropriate childcare arrangements.