HC Deb 30 June 2003 vol 408 c83W
Angela Eagle

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for(a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit. [117426]

Malcolm Wicks

All departments and agencies were committed to completing an equal pay review and submitting an action plan to the Cabinet Office by April 2003.

The DWP is committed to fair pay across the Department and all of its component parts. Equal pay audits have been completed across all parts of the Department over the last two years and a further equal pay audit is planned in autumn. The report and an action plan have been issued to Cabinet Office and the findings shared with trade union colleagues. A copy of the DWP action plan will be placed in the Library of the House in due course once internal discussions with the Cabinet office are complete.

The Department has four non-departmental public bodies the Health and Safety Executive, Remploy, the Disability Rights Commission and the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority. Although the non-departmental bodies were not formally covered by the commitment as a matter of good practice the Health and Safety Executive and the Disability Rights Commission have undertaken an equal pay audit and the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority and Remploy are preparing an action plan.