§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the report by the Deputy Competition Commissioner into women's employment and pay. [21321]
§ Ms HewittI welcome this report, which examines non-legislative and cost effective measures to improve women's employment prospects and participation in the labour market and to achieve greater equality of pay.
I welcome too the Government-sponsored research report, "The Gender Pay Gap", which analyses the causes of the pay gap. Both of these reports are being published today.
A number of Government initiatives are already under way to tackle this important issue, including key elements of the Employment Bill and the work of the fair pay champions in supporting equal pay initiatives in their sectors. We welcome the contribution both these reports make to understanding and to reducing the gender pay gap.
We will also be publishing the Government's full response to the 14 recommendations made in the Deputy Competition Commissioner's report today.
I am placing copies of both reports and the Government's response in the Libraries of the House.