§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are in place to ensure that women are paid the same as men when they are in the same job. [72854]
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§ Ms HewittThe Equal Pay Act 1970 makes it unlawful for an employer to pay a woman less than a man for the same job, a job rated as equivalent or a job of equal value. The Act applies equally to men and women. A booklet about the Act is available from the Government.
The Equal Opportunities Commission's (EOC) Code of Practice on Equal Pay provides practical guidance and recommends good practice to employers. It is a statutory Code, and can be referred to in Tribunal evidence.
The EOC was given extra funding to develop an Equal Pay Toolkit, aimed at helping employers to carry out pay reviews. The kit was launched on the 4 of July.
We have made funding available to Trade Unions to train their representatives to negotiate on equal pay issues in the workplace.
The Employment Act (2002) provides a new power to introduce an Equal Pay Questionnaire into the Equal Pay Act. The questionnaire procedure will help women who think they may not be receiving equal pay to request key information from their employers before deciding whether to institute proceedings. We will be consulting interested parties on the design and content of the form later this year.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action can be taken against companies that do not enforce an equal pay policy. [72855]
§ Ms HewittThe Equal Pay Act 1970 imposes an obligation to pay men and women equally for the same work, work rated as equivalent and work of equal value. While employers are not legally required to have an equal pay policy, we encourage voluntary pay reviews through, for example, the Castle Awards and the Fair Pay Champions.
Individuals who feel they are suffering pay discrimination on the basis of their gender are entitled to take a case to an employment tribunal under the Equal Pay Act.
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), which helps to enforce sex discrimination and equal pay legislation, has the power to conduct formal investigations, and to issue non-discrimination notices where, in the course of a formal investigation, it is satisfied that the Equal Pay Act is not being complied with. The EOC also has the power to provide financial or other assistance to applicants bringing a case under the Equal Pay Act and to seek preliminary findings as to whether there may have been an infringement of the Act, and apply for an injunction to restrain persistent discrimination.