Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Women in the Workplace

Wednesday 30 November 2022 · 3 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 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government initiatives include pay transparency pilots and new returners programmes to support women in the workplace.
  • The Government support a private Member's Bill on workplace harassment, which introduces legal protections for employers to prevent workplace harassment.
  • The Government are considering rolling out the Education Secretary's campaign against the use of NDAs in universities more widely to support women in work.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joanna Cherry SNP
Women & Equalities
Context

The question arises from the ongoing efforts to improve women's representation and conditions in employment, particularly noting recent challenges faced by female academics.

Question

What steps are being taken by the Government to help support women in the workplace?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I confirm the Government's commitment to empowering women in the workplace. Over recent years, there has been an increase in the number of women in full-time work and a reduction in the gender pay gap. Further initiatives include pay transparency pilots, new returners programmes, and a taskforce for women-led high-growth enterprises.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific issue of harassment faced by female academics was not directly addressed with concrete measures or commitments.

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Q2 Joanna Cherry SNP
Employment
Context

The question stems from concerns raised by the outgoing vice-chancellor of Oxford University regarding the level of threat and harassment experienced by female academics due to their stance on gender identity ideology.

Question

Can the Minister tell me what the Government are doing to address such harassment in the workplace?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank the hon. and learned Lady for her work in this space, which is vital. I point her to the private Member's Bill on workplace harassment promoted by the hon. Member for Bath (Wera Hobhouse) with Government support, introducing legal protections giving employers an explicit duty to prevent workplace harassment by third parties.

Partly answered

Not addressed: While acknowledging the issue and referring to a private Member's Bill, no direct commitment or timeline was provided regarding specific actions from the government itself.

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Q3 Maria Miller Con
Employment Women & Equalities
Context

The question is prompted by a Government survey from 2020 which showed that half of those reporting sexual harassment at work were asked to sign NDAs, effectively silencing victims.

Question

To support more women in work, will my hon. Friend look at rolling out more widely the Education Secretary's successful campaign to stamp out the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in universities?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

I thank my right hon. Friend for her work on this issue. I will of course speak to my colleague in the Department for Education about it, but I want to reassure my right hon. Friend that specific legislation about sexual harassment in the workplace is going through the House with Government support.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The questioner asked specifically about extending the campaign beyond universities, which was not directly addressed by the minister's response focusing on ongoing legislation.

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