Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Gender Equality: Fiscal Policies

Tuesday 7 December 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Hannah Bardell inquired about the recent assessment of fiscal policies' impact on gender equality.
  • The Minister stated that the fiscal policies aim to create a fairer and more equal society, with women benefiting significantly from the increase in the national living wage.
  • Hannah Bardell highlighted the anger and anxiety of 6,500 WASPI women in her constituency who are dissatisfied with pension adjustments.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Hannah Bardell SNP
Economy Women & Equalities
Context

The question arises from the need to assess how recent fiscal policies affect gender equality in society.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the effect of his fiscal policies on gender equality?

Answer from Simon Clarke

Our fiscal policies support the Government's ambition of creating a fairer and more equal society, and women are among those who will benefit the most. For example, women are expected to benefit disproportionately from the Government's increase to the national living wage to £9.50 for workers aged 23 and above, as well as the rise in the national minimum wage for young people and apprentices.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific impact assessment requested is not provided, only general claims of benefits to women are made.

How: General Claims, No Detailed Assessment

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Q2 Hannah Bardell SNP
Benefits & Welfare Women & Equalities
Context

In the Livingston constituency, there are approximately 6,500 WASPI women who have been affected by changes in state pension ages and feel they received a broken promise.

Question

I am glad you found someone to answer, Mr Speaker. Some 6,500 women in my Livingston constituency are WASPI women and they are furious. When I recently met them with the Women Against State Pension Inequality co-ordinator Carla O'Hara, there was anger and anxiety and there were many, many tears. Will the Minister tell me and the WASPI women from his constituency and from the constituencies of Members throughout this Chamber whether the “fresh vigour and new eyes” that the Prime Minister promised back in July 2019 is still on the table? Or is it, yet again, another broken promise?

Answer from Simon Clarke

The Government have always considered this issue, which goes back over the past decade, very carefully. For the purposes of intergenerational fairness and the wider sustainability of our pension settlement into the future, it is vital that that settlement is reflective of longer life expectancy. I am afraid that is the underpinning principle of the Government's work and we stand resolutely behind it.

Not addressed: The specific promise mentioned by WASPI women was not addressed; instead, a general statement on pension policy principles was provided.

How: Changes Subject, Does Not Address Previous Promises

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