§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the pay gap between women and men. [97717]
§ Ms HewittThe pay gap between women and men currently stands at 19 per cent., down from 30 per cent. in 1975 when the Equal Pay Act came into force. The Government are taking action to tackle the complex underlying factors behind the pay gap, including promoting voluntary pay reviews and good practice on equal pay through the Fair Pay Champions and Castle Awards. Denise Kingsmill is chairing a task force "Accounting for People" which is considering human capital reporting by companies and is likely to have significant implications for women in the workplace. The Employment Act 2002 introduces measures to help parents maintain links with the world of work and better balance their work and home lives. These will help women return to the labour market and have a positive impact on the pay gap. The Act also introduces an equal pay questionnaire that will make it easier to tackle pay discrimination in the workplace. All Government Departments are committed to carrying out a pay review by April 2003.