Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if he will publish the minutes of every meeting of the transparency research pilot working group.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
In March, the Equality Hub announced a pilot study to build the evidence on the impact of employers including salary information in all job adverts, and stopping asking about previous salary during recruitment, as part of a new drive on pay transparency. In order to ensure the results from the pilot are robust, we will be running it as a controlled trial; with specific employers recruited to take part. We will make an announcement on the participating employers at a time that will ensure the outcomes of the trials are not influenced by it.
The pay setting processes of employers vary widely, and are likely to have changed over the lifetime of the organisations. Many are unlikely to have established a fair and robust pay and reward process from the outset, or performed a job evaluation study. This in turn produces the conditions where unintentional pay disparities may open up. For this reason, for many organisations, moving immediately to a system of full pay transparency is likely to require a period of adjustment. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.
This work, separate to the research pilot, will be supported by the pay transparency working group. This informal group met for the first time in September, and is made up of a mixture of employer bodies, businesses, and HR professionals. In order to facilitate rich discussion among participants, these meetings are held under Chatham House rules. This enables employers to be honest about the barriers they are facing, which will in turn inform a more effective methodology which actually engages with the issues.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what practical guidance the Government Equalities Office has prepared for employers to support pay transparency.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
In March, the Equality Hub announced a pilot study to build the evidence on the impact of employers including salary information in all job adverts, and stopping asking about previous salary during recruitment, as part of a new drive on pay transparency. In order to ensure the results from the pilot are robust, we will be running it as a controlled trial; with specific employers recruited to take part. We will make an announcement on the participating employers at a time that will ensure the outcomes of the trials are not influenced by it.
The pay setting processes of employers vary widely, and are likely to have changed over the lifetime of the organisations. Many are unlikely to have established a fair and robust pay and reward process from the outset, or performed a job evaluation study. This in turn produces the conditions where unintentional pay disparities may open up. For this reason, for many organisations, moving immediately to a system of full pay transparency is likely to require a period of adjustment. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.
This work, separate to the research pilot, will be supported by the pay transparency working group. This informal group met for the first time in September, and is made up of a mixture of employer bodies, businesses, and HR professionals. In order to facilitate rich discussion among participants, these meetings are held under Chatham House rules. This enables employers to be honest about the barriers they are facing, which will in turn inform a more effective methodology which actually engages with the issues.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many companies have signed up to the Government’s pay transparency research pilot.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
In March, the Equality Hub announced a pilot study to build the evidence on the impact of employers including salary information in all job adverts, and stopping asking about previous salary during recruitment, as part of a new drive on pay transparency. In order to ensure the results from the pilot are robust, we will be running it as a controlled trial; with specific employers recruited to take part. We will make an announcement on the participating employers at a time that will ensure the outcomes of the trials are not influenced by it.
The pay setting processes of employers vary widely, and are likely to have changed over the lifetime of the organisations. Many are unlikely to have established a fair and robust pay and reward process from the outset, or performed a job evaluation study. This in turn produces the conditions where unintentional pay disparities may open up. For this reason, for many organisations, moving immediately to a system of full pay transparency is likely to require a period of adjustment. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.
This work, separate to the research pilot, will be supported by the pay transparency working group. This informal group met for the first time in September, and is made up of a mixture of employer bodies, businesses, and HR professionals. In order to facilitate rich discussion among participants, these meetings are held under Chatham House rules. This enables employers to be honest about the barriers they are facing, which will in turn inform a more effective methodology which actually engages with the issues.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an estimate of the number and proportion of blind and partially sighted people who have faced digital exclusion with online banking in the latest period for which data is available; and whether his Department will take steps to help support people facing digital exclusion with online banking.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government does not make direct assessments of visually impaired consumers’ ability to access banking. However, The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducts a Financial Lives Survey, which provides a comprehensive insight into the finances of the adult UK population. The latest survey closed in June 2022 and its findings will be published in due course, and will include insights on the use and satisfaction levels of visually impaired consumers with mobile and online banking services.
Innovations in the market mean that banking in the UK is more accessible than ever before, with many firms offering services to make everyday banking easier for the visually impaired such as communications in Braille, talking ATMs, accessible cards and text relay services for online banking. Firms also have staff on hand in branches to help customers set-up online or mobile banking services, teach them how to use video banking services and, for those without access to digital devices, the sector has established initiatives to support customers by providing them with free tablet devices.
The FCA has also published guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable customers, which includes physical disabilities such as blindness and visual impairment. The guidance explores, among other things, how firms can understand the needs of vulnerable customers and provide targeted services for this cohort. For the visually impaired, the FCA expects firms to offer appropriate modes of communication such as using Braille or audio. It also expects firms to take into account the needs of these customers when designing, developing and testing products and services.
In addition, like all service providers, banks and building societies are bound under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments, where necessary, in the way they deliver their services.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2022 to Question 3616 on Vacancies: advertising, for what reason a lack of clarity in pay processes can be a barrier to employers listing salary information on all job adverts.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
In March the Equality Hub called on employers to include salary information in all job adverts and stop asking about previous salary during recruitment as part of a new drive on pay transparency. We additionally announced a pilot study to build the evidence on the impact of taking these steps. In order to ensure the results from the pilot are robust, we will be running it as a controlled trial; with specific employers recruited to take part, once the details of the trial have been decided.
The pay setting processes of employers vary widely, and are likely to have changed over the lifetime of the organisations. Many are unlikely to have established a fair and robust pay and reward process from the outset, or performed a job evaluation study. This in turn produces the conditions where unintentional pay disparities may open up. For this reason, for many organisations, moving immediately to a system of full pay transparency is likely to require a period of adjustment. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2022 to Question 3616 on Vacancies: advertising, for what reason historic pay decisions can be a barrier to employers listing salary information on all job adverts.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
In March the Equality Hub called on employers to include salary information in all job adverts and stop asking about previous salary during recruitment as part of a new drive on pay transparency. We additionally announced a pilot study to build the evidence on the impact of taking these steps. In order to ensure the results from the pilot are robust, we will be running it as a controlled trial; with specific employers recruited to take part, once the details of the trial have been decided.
The pay setting processes of employers vary widely, and are likely to have changed over the lifetime of the organisations. Many are unlikely to have established a fair and robust pay and reward process from the outset, or performed a job evaluation study. This in turn produces the conditions where unintentional pay disparities may open up. For this reason, for many organisations, moving immediately to a system of full pay transparency is likely to require a period of adjustment. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2022 to Question 3616 on Vacancies: advertising, which employers have been approached to participate in the planned pilot schemes to list salary details on job adverts.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
In March the Equality Hub called on employers to include salary information in all job adverts and stop asking about previous salary during recruitment as part of a new drive on pay transparency. We additionally announced a pilot study to build the evidence on the impact of taking these steps. In order to ensure the results from the pilot are robust, we will be running it as a controlled trial; with specific employers recruited to take part, once the details of the trial have been decided.
The pay setting processes of employers vary widely, and are likely to have changed over the lifetime of the organisations. Many are unlikely to have established a fair and robust pay and reward process from the outset, or performed a job evaluation study. This in turn produces the conditions where unintentional pay disparities may open up. For this reason, for many organisations, moving immediately to a system of full pay transparency is likely to require a period of adjustment. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the Answer of 9 March 2022 to Question 132401 on civil service staff networks, what information he holds on (a) FTE staff time and (b) budgets available to recognised staff groups within his Department in each of the last three years.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The Wales Office has had no ‘recognised staff groups’ in place during the last three years. However, our staff can access the following Ministry of Justice staff networks:
ABLE network (disability)
Carers Network
Christians in MoJ
Frontline Staff Network
Gender Equality Network
Humanists in MoJ (HiMoJ)
Job Share Network
MoJ EU Nationals Network
MoJ Muslim Network
Parents’ Network
PROUD
Safe Space Forum
Spirit
Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM)
The Civil Service Jewish Network (JNet)
The Wales office has allocated no staff time to staff groups in the last three years and has not provided any funding to staff groups in this period.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with reference to the Answer of 9 March 2022 to Question 132401 on civil service staff networks, if he will list his Department's recognised staff groups that have been in place over the last three years.
Answered by David T C Davies - Secretary of State for Wales
The Wales Office has had no ‘recognised staff groups’ in place during the last three years. However, our staff can access the following Ministry of Justice staff networks:
ABLE network (disability)
Carers Network
Christians in MoJ
Frontline Staff Network
Gender Equality Network
Humanists in MoJ (HiMoJ)
Job Share Network
MoJ EU Nationals Network
MoJ Muslim Network
Parents’ Network
PROUD
Safe Space Forum
Spirit
Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM)
The Civil Service Jewish Network (JNet)
The Wales office has allocated no staff time to staff groups in the last three years and has not provided any funding to staff groups in this period.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 12 of Benefit Sanctions: Government response to the Work and Pensions Committee’s Nineteenth Report of Session 2017-19, if she will provide details of the external evidence on the impact of sanctions on claimants' health, finances and wellbeing of claimants her Department took into account prior to the introduction of The Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance (Work Search and Work Availability Requirements - limitations) (Amendment) Regulations 2022.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No specific assessment has been made. The Department considers all available evidence when making decisions regarding new or existing policies. To ensure sanctions are clear, fair and effective in promoting positive behaviours, we keep the operation of the conditionality and sanctions policies and process under continuous review. We routinely undertake Equality Analyses when developing policies.
These regulations change the amount of time people have to search for jobs in their preferred sector, which is known as the permitted period. The permitted period is available at the discretion of a Work Coach and only claimants with substantial experience in a certain sector or occupation, or at a level of remuneration are eligible. If, after 4 weeks, claimants granted a permitted period refuse to widen their job search and apply for roles, attend interviews or take up paid work outside of their preferred sector without good reason, then they may be referred for a sanction. A sanction is only ever applied if claimants fail, without good reason, to meet their agreed conditionality requirements.
We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene.