Women and Equalities
The Minister for Women and Equalities was asked—
Pension Inequality
Mr (Isle of Wight) (Con)
1. What steps the Government are taking to support women facing
pension inequality. [911870]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
()
Before I respond, may I say, on behalf of our Front-Bench team
and, I hope, of the whole House, how proud we are of the
Lionesses for their exceptionally inspirational performance in
the women’s World cup?
Recent state pension reforms have meant that by 2030 more than 3
million women will be £550 a year better off on average.
Automatic enrolment has helped to equalise workplace pension
participation, and the Government’s gender inequality road map
sets out our proposals to tackle financial instability in later
life.
Mr Seely
Equalising the pension age has been very painful. We understand
the reasons for it, but it is very painful for many of my
constituents—females born in the 1950s. What has the Minister’s
Department done to mitigate against that? What more can be done
to avoid hardship for that age group?
My hon. Friend is a strong advocate for his constituents. This
Government have already introduced transitional arrangements
costing £1.1 billion; this concession reduced the proposed
increase in state pension age for more than 450,000 men and
women, and means that no woman will see her pension age change by
more than 18 months, relative to the original Pensions Act 1995
timetable. For those experiencing hardship, the welfare system
continues to provide a safety net, with a range of benefits
tailored to individual circumstances.
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
(Lab)
The Minister must recognise that, particularly for working-class
women in the north-east who started work earlier, sometimes at
the age of 14 or 15, and are in manual trades, which take a huge
toll on the body, this pension inequality is really affecting
lives. What is he doing to meet the just claims of the
WASPI—Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign—women and
provide support for those women so disproportionately affected?
As I say, the Government have already introduced transitional
arrangements costing £1.1 billion. We have considered the
alternative options and found that there are substantial
practical, financial and legal problems with all alternative
options offered by stakeholders so far to mitigate the impact on
those affected.
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
In addition to the Lionesses, will the Minister also congratulate
the Scottish women’s football team on their efforts and wish the
Scottish Thistles netball team all the best in the netball world
cup, which is coming up this week?
The WASPI women have already been cheated out of their pensions
by this and previous Governments, but a further issue is
emerging, with the Association of British Insurers talking of £20
billion of unclaimed pensions, in 1.6 million pension pots. That
will disproportionately affect women, as they are more likely to
have changed jobs multiple times during their careers. What is
the Minister going to do to make sure that those women do not
also lose out on pensions to which they should be entitled, in
unclaimed pension pots?
I will certainly echo the comments made by the hon. Lady about
those sporting teams in Scotland. Her question is better related
to the Pensions Minister, so I will ensure that he responds fully
to the points she raises. However, I would say, on WASPI women,
that any amendment to the current legislation that creates a new
inequality between men and women would be unquestionably highly
dubious as a matter of law, and the Government’s position on the
changes to the state pension age remains clear and consistent.
British Sign Language Courses
(Ellesmere Port and Neston)
(Lab)
2. What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the
availability of British Sign Language courses. [911871]
The Minister for School Standards ()
A range of qualifications in BSL are available, but of course it
is for schools and colleges to decide whether to offer these
qualifications or other courses in BSL. The Department for
Education is working to develop draft subject content for a
potential GCSE in BSL.
Cheshire College South and West, in my constituency, has had to
cancel the BSL courses altogether, due to cuts in the adult
education budget. That pattern is being repeated all over the
country, so may I urge the Minister to look carefully at the
impact of the cuts his Government are implementing?
I am happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the particular
issue regarding that college. He will be aware that the exam
board Signature has a number of BSL qualifications at different
levels. He will also know that the DFE funds the I-Sign project,
which has developed a family sign language programme course,
which is available online, and post-16 funding is of course a
priority in the upcoming spending review.
(Bristol West) (Lab)
I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Waveney (), as nobody in the Portcullis
House atrium yesterday can have failed to have been moved by the
signing choir, who performed to great acclaim. Will the Minister
join me, the hon. Member for Waveney and the choir in calling for
a GCSE in sign language?
I did enjoy meeting Daniel Jillings’s mother, Ann, and I am only
sorry that I could not go to the performance of the Lowestoft
Signing Choir last night. The hon. Lady will know that in
February the Department announced that it would begin the process
of developing draft subject content for a GCSE in BSL, which will
need to be considered against the requirements that apply to all
GCSEs.
Equalities Hub
Mrs (Basingstoke) (Con)
3. What steps she is taking to tackle inequalities through the
new Equalities Hub. [911873]
The Minister for Women and Equalities ()
The new Equalities Hub includes the Government Equalities Office,
the race disparity unit and the new disability unit. Not only
does it bring together the parts of Government that lead on
gender, race, disability and sexual orientation, but it will use
the convening power of the Cabinet Office better to leverage work
across Whitehall.
Mrs Miller
I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply and for putting
together for the first time ever an Equalities Hub. How will she
make sure that Government Departments still see it as their
responsibility to work together to deliver better equalities
policies in future? In our inquiries, the Women and Equalities
Committee often highlights that as a real problem.
The hub will hold those Departments to account. It will have some
new tools to do that: better data and the ability to look at the
multiple disadvantages that individuals face. There are also
single departmental plans and other methods that the Cabinet
Office has. We will make further announcements this week that
will provide other means by which we can hold everyone across
Government to account.
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
I welcome the Equalities Hub, but I urge the Government to make
hubs available throughout the country. Will the Minister pay
particular attention to a group that lobbied me only last week?
They were women who have been in prison, come out of prison, and
had to return to the atmosphere of bullying and oppression in the
home they were in before they served their prison sentence. These
women need the full service in the Equalities Hub. They are a
very special case, so will the Minister help them?
The hon. Gentleman raises a very good point. My hon. and learned
Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice recently
visited some women’s prisons and spoke to people there about
further things we need to do. Part of the work of the Government
Equalities Office is to create better networks across the whole
of the UK in all these policy areas.
Gender Bias: Employment
Mr (Kettering) (Con)
4. Which employment sectors are most gender-biased against (a)
women and (b) men; and if she will take steps to tackle those
biases. [911874]
The Minister for Women ()
My hon. Friend has asked a deviously difficult question, in that
there are many ways to interpret it. I have taken it to reflect
the gender split in sectors. The worst sectors in terms of the
gender split for women are construction; mining and quarrying;
and water supply, sewerage and waste management. All those
sectors have workforces that are more than 80% men. The worst
sectors in terms of the gender split for men are education, human
health and social work. We are working with all those sectors to
drive action plans to address the specific problems that men and
women face, whether in recruitment, retention, or progression to
senior leadership roles, in those sectors.
Mr Speaker
Brilliant though the Minister is, she cannot be expected, any
more than any of us can, to know the inner workings of the
sophisticated mind of the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr
Hollobone).
Mr Hollobone
There is a highly disproportionately low number of male primary
school teachers. What can the Government do to address this?
My hon. Friend asks a good question. There is interesting
research on what and how gender stereotypes form at early ages.
By the age of seven, girls tend to think that they should be in
what we call very loosely the caring industries, and boys tend to
think about the mechanical and engineering-type industries. So it
starts at the very beginning. We have to work on, and we are
working on, ensuring that the gender stereotypes for boys and
girls are not allowed to continue. That is precisely why the
gender equality road map that we published last week will help
with those limiting and limited stereotypes. We must very much
encourage boys to grow, and to be great teachers in our schools
and colleges.
(Ogmore) (Lab)
I am sure the Minister would agree that in the care sector—where
my mother has worked for the past 30 years—the focus tends to be
purely on women working in that sector, often because it is
part-time and low-paid work. What more will the Minister do to
make sure that the care sector is seen as a real profession, with
good qualifications and a decent salary.
The care sector is such an important sector in our economy—all
the more so as we age and live for longer—so through the gender
equality road map we are very much looking into how we can help
to ensure that the part-time roles are paid properly, and also
that there are career opportunities. A tiny step is, of course,
the gender pay gap regulation reporting, which helps to set out
the disparities between pay, not only within industries and
sectors but across the economy. It is through that that we will
start to get much better quality.
(Walsall North) (Con)
Only 1% of the tradespeople who work in building maintenance in
housing associations are female, so will my hon. Friend endorse
the work of the Guinness Partnership and its ambassador
tradeswomen who are trying to drive up that figure by going into
schools and colleges, encouraging women to pursue a career in
construction?
I endorse not only the work of the Guinness Partnership, but the
work of my hon. Friend, who is a powerhouse himself for trying to
ensure that women and girls see construction as a really good
industry and a really good employment opportunity for them.
Prison Officer Training: Women’s Mental Health
(Blaydon) (Lab)
5. What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on
trends in the level of training for prison officers working with
women with mental health needs. [911875]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
From April of this year, a new specialist training package known
as Positive Outcomes for Women: Empowerment and Rehabilitation
has been devised to support prison officers working with women in
custody and the community. That will help staff to have the
necessary skills and knowledge to deal with those with specific
needs.
Given that women in prison account for a disproportionate amount
of self-harm incidents, it is increasingly important that they
are given support in prison. When will the Minister commit to
enhancing support for vulnerable women with a mental health need
in prison?
The hon. Lady will have heard what I just said about the new
training programme, but it is part of a wider policy framework.
In particular, there is work on the review to improve family
ties for female offenders and a further investment of £5 million
for community provision. My experience last week at Her Majesty’s
Prison Eastwood Park taught me a lot about how women can help
each other and support each other through the process, which can
often be a very traumatic time for them.
(Swansea East) (Lab)
This year’s inspection of HMP Foston Hall identified that 74% of
women had mental health problems, but only two thirds were
receiving any help. At the same prison, only half of officers had
received any mental health awareness training despite a general
feeling that they would like more. What more can be done to
improve mental health training across the estate to reduce
self-harm and suicide and to improve on the current position?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising that important point.
As I have said, the roll out of the new POWER scheme is going to
be very important in terms of giving prison officers the tools
they need to help support women with mental health needs. I do
think that our overall strategy is now translating into real
change, with the key worker scheme allowing prison officers to
work with individual prisoners to identify their needs, so there
is progress, but I accept that much more needs to be done.
Windrush: Home Office Investigation
(Kensington) (Lab)
6. Whether her Department is supporting the Home Office internal
investigation into the causes of the Windrush scandal; and if she
will make a statement. [911876]
The Minister for Women ()
The Home Secretary commissioned a lessons-learned review to
consider the key policy and operational decisions that led to
members of the Windrush generation becoming entangled in measures
designed for illegal immigrants and appointed Wendy Williams as
its independent adviser. We understand that Wendy Williams has
been considering a great deal of material during the course of
the review and has spoken with a wide range of people. We will
publish her report following its receipt.
The Government seem obsessed with pushing through a damaging
no-deal Brexit, and Windrush victims feel ignored, as they have
to make do with an apology, or perhaps another review, then a
report, and then a consultation on the report and the review.
Words are cheap; actions count. Can the Minister please explain
how the process of compensating Windrush victims is progressing?
I am glad that the hon. Lady has asked this question, because it
gives me the opportunity to inform her that more than 6,400
people have been granted some form of documentation by the
Windrush taskforce and more than 4,200 people have successfully
applied to become British nationals through the Windrush scheme.
We have announced that the Windrush compensation scheme is open
for claimants. The forms, rules and claimant guidance were
published in April and the free phone helpline is available for
those wishing to receive printed copies of the forms or for any
other queries.
(Brent Central) (Lab)
The Government said that it would take two weeks to resolve the
Windrush cases; it has been over 64 weeks thus far. I have a live
petition, which garnered more than 800 signatures a day, which I
plan to present to the Prime Minister next week. Will the
Minister join me in fighting for justice and fairness for the
Windrush generation, and support the call to get all cases
resolved before we break for recess?
I thank the hon. Lady for her question. As she knows from the
work she has done, every case is complex. We want to ensure that
they are being thoroughly considered. We will continue to update
the Select Committee with work and progress on this, but I
reference her back to the fact that more than 6,400 people have
been given some form of documentation and more than 4,200 people
have successfully applied to become British nationals through the
scheme.
Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones
Dr (Ealing Central and Acton)
(Lab)
7. When the Government plan to announce a decision on their
review of proposals to introduce buffer zones around abortion
clinics. [911877]
The Minister for Women ()
It is a pleasure to answer this question from the hon. Lady. In
September 2018, having considered the evidence of the review, the
Home Secretary reached the conclusion that introducing national
buffer zones would not be a proportionate response given the
experience of the vast majority of hospitals and clinics, and
considering that the majority of activities are passive in
nature; but we of course watch with great interest the incidents
that are happening in her constituency.
Dr Huq
Ealing’s buffer zone is pioneering, but it is a local byelaw and
its renewal process will have to start next year, notwithstanding
its High Court challenge next week. Women up and down the
country—clinic users and staff—need the certainties of protection
from harassment by national, lasting legislation, and the
evidence of the Minister’s review does not bear out what all the
pressure groups are saying. So when will the Government have the
guts to act?
It is not a question of having the guts or otherwise. We looked
at this very carefully. We looked at the range of hospitals and
clinics across the country that offer these services, and the
overwhelming majority did not report the sorts of activities that
the hon. Lady has described taking place outside the clinic in
her constituency. However, we of course keep the matter under
review, and I am always happy to discuss this with the hon. Lady,
because I know she takes such an interest in it.
Workplace Gender Equality
(Waveney) (Con)
8. What steps the Government are taking to enable employers to
increase gender equality in the workplace. [911879]
The Minister for Women and Equalities ()
The cross-Government gender equality road map sets out our plans
to address the persistent gender barriers that people face at
every stage of their life. It addresses the cumulative impact
faced disproportionately by women as a result of gender barriers
at every stage of their life.
Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating the Ogden
Trust, participating businesses, higher and further education
providers and John Best for their sterling work in promoting the
coastal energy internship programme, which in three years has
grown from providing five to 50 internships, and which is
ensuring that female interns have every opportunity to work in an
industry that has long been male-dominated?
I would be delighted to join my hon. Friend in highlighting that
fantastic example and congratulating all involved on its success.
In order to improve gender representation in STEM—science,
technology, engineering and maths—industries, we are raising
awareness of the opportunities that these career paths present,
through the Government careers strategy.
Sexual Violence Support Services
(Bath) (LD)
9. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of
State for Health and Social Care on the provision of support
services for people who have experienced sexual violence.
[911880]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice ()
The Minister for victims, my hon. Friend the Member for Charnwood
(), and the Minister for
mental health, my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (), meet quarterly, and in
their most recent meeting they discussed mental health support
for victims of serious violence and sexual assault, as part of
the Government’s continued work to implement an integrated system
of care for victims.
A recent public petition brought by campaigner Fern Champion on
the issue of funding for rape crisis centres has attracted more
than 150,000 signatures. Fern’s experience, echoed by many, is
that rape crisis centres are so oversubscribed that survivors are
being turned away or are told to wait for up to two years before
they can receive support. Will the Minister commit to meet
me—preferably before the summer recess—to discuss how we ensure
that all survivors of sexual violence can access support?
I am happy to commit the victims Minister, my hon. Friend the
Member for Charnwood (), to that meeting; I am
sure he will be very pleased with me. This is an important and
serious issue, because rape crisis centres form an invaluable
part of the service. I am glad to say that from April this year
my Department has increased funding for specialised rape and
sexual abuse support services by 10%—up by £8 million a year—and
that, for the first time, we will have centrally funded services
in all 42 police and crime commissioner areas. That is a sign of
our deep commitment, but we will work further with the hon. Lady.
Flexible Working
(Bishop Auckland) (Lab)
10. What steps she is taking to ensure that businesses offer
employees their legal right to request flexible working. [911881]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
All employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service have the right to
request flexible working—that is over 90% of employees. Employers
can only refuse a request for flexible working if they have sound
business reasons, which are set out in statute. We have also
established the flexible working taskforce to promote wider
understanding of implementation of flexible working practices.
Earlier this year, we launched a flexible working website
specifically aimed at helping working mothers to find flexible
jobs.
Women who work at Asda in Bishop Auckland and Spennymoor, and
indeed across the whole country, are currently facing dismissal
if they do not accept a new contract that would end the
flexibility they currently have. In view of the helpful answer
that the Minister has given, will she join me and the GMB union
in calling on Asda to think again and have a proper negotiation?
I thank the hon. Lady for raising the concerns among her
constituents with regard to the change of contract. As she well
knows, that is a debate and a negotiation between the employer
and the employees and their representatives. I am sure that the
unions involved will be making their feelings clear. I advise
those of her constituents who have any concerns about the
practices that are happening within Asda to ring ACAS, which will
be able to give them good, sound advice.
Maternity Discrimination
(Angus) (Con)
11. What steps the Government are taking to help ensure that
women are protected from maternity discrimination. [911883]
(Kingston upon Hull North)
(Lab)
12. What steps the Government are taking to tackle maternity
discrimination. [911884]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy ()
The law is absolutely clear: pregnancy and maternity
discrimination against women in the workplace is unlawful. The
Government recognise the importance of tackling pregnancy and
maternity discrimination more widely, and have consulted on
extending redundancy protections. We have received over 600
responses, which we are currently reviewing, and we will set out
the next steps very soon.
Flexible working enables women to stay in work and develop their
careers after they have children, and helps to prevent maternity
discrimination. It could also help to close the gender pay gap.
It has made a huge difference to a member of staff in my
constituency office with regard to getting back into work after
having a child. What steps can my hon. Friend outline to ensure
that flexible working is offered in employment contracts, and is
also a priority when advertising the job so that people
understand that it is a possibility?
My hon. Friend is quite right. This Government recognise that we
need to do as much as we can for working families, and
particularly for women who may suffer from discrimination. She is
right to talk about flexibility. She will know that the
Government have committed to consult on a duty on employers to
consider whether a job can be done flexibly and to make that very
clear in the advertisement for the job.
Following the long overdue consultation on the rights of pregnant
women and new mothers, does the Minister expect the Government to
support the recommendation made by the Women and Equalities
Committee that the German model offers the best solution for
protecting women from the worst employers?
The hon. Lady is right: we have had the consultation, on which we
will hopefully make further announcements soon. It is absolutely
right that we have consulted on the extension of the pregnancy
and maternity protections for up to six months. The Government
have looked at the German approach to enforcement, which uses a
state body to grant permissions to make new mothers redundant.
This would diverge from the UK system of enforcement of
individuals’ employment rights through employment tribunals.
Topical Questions
Mr (Coventry South) (Lab)
T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental
responsibilities. [911885]
The Minister for Women and Equalities ()
All workers should be safe and able to thrive at work. Workplace
harassment reflects an unacceptable sense of power, entitlement
and disrespect towards others. Today I have launched a
consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace. I am seeking
views on whether the law is fit for purpose and how we can ensure
that we have the right processes in place to keep people safe at
work. We want to hear from people affected by this issue and
design solutions that work for them. I urge everyone with an
interest to go on to gov.uk and help us in this exercise by
filling out the consultation questionnaire.
Mr Cunningham
According to the Home Office, only 15 police forces have had
training in relation to domestic abuse and violence. What
discussions has the Minister had with the Home Office to ensure
that all police forces receive that training?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. There is work going
on to build further capacity in police forces across the four
nations. The UK is also making a major contribution to deliver
that capacity in the police forces of other nations. I will get
my hon. Friend the Minister for Women to write to him with the
specifics.
(Angus) (Con)
T3. Angus is proud to be home to one of only three guide dog
training centres across the country. I want to do more to support
those with sight loss. One measure is to introduce audio
passenger information on buses, which would allow those with
sight loss to travel independently. There was a consultation on
the Bus Services Act 2017, which finished in September last year.
Could my right hon. Friend update the House on when those
recommendations will be made public? [911887]
The consultation has finished, and some funding is ring-fenced as
part of the inclusive transport strategy for ensuring that
audio-visual equipment is installed on buses. The Department for
Transport is in the process of bringing forward regulations and
publishing guidance. That will be later this year. In the
meantime, we are encouraging operators’ efforts to ensure that
there is accessible information on their services.
(Brent Central) (Lab)
The Prime Minister cites the race disparity audit and the gender
pay gap regulations as some of her proudest achievements,
seemingly not realising that they are symbolic of her failures.
The report highlighted the systematic institutional racism of her
Government’s policies, and we now have the real possibility of a
casual racist and misogynist entering No.10—[Interruption.] I am
afraid it is true. I hope the Minister will give assurances that
the women and equalities agenda—[Interruption.]
Mr Speaker
Order. Let me be absolutely clear: nothing disorderly has
occurred. People have free speech within the rules of the House.
I will adjudicate the enforcement of those rules. Nothing
disorderly has taken place, and I certainly do not require any
assistance from occupants of the Treasury Bench.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I could go through the list of things that
have been said, but we do not have time. I hope the Minister will
give assurances that the women and equalities agenda will not go
backwards under the new Prime Minister. To adapt Stormzy lyrics:
“We have to be honest
Rule number two, don’t make the promise
If you can’t make the deal, just be honest
Equalities will never die, it’s like Chuck Norris
Rather, chuck this Government and chuck Boris.”
Although I am sure that there will be a lot of column inches and
debate about the Prime Minister’s legacy, one of the things she
can be proud of is setting up the Race Disparity Unit and the
work she did to shine a spotlight on practices in particular
parts of Government and public services. She has also supported
me in setting up the equalities hub, which brings together that
disparity team with disability, women and equalities and LGBT
issues at the heart of Government. She should be very proud of
that.
I gently point out to those on the Opposition Front Bench and all
Members of the Labour party that they really should have come to
the House today with a bit of humility, following the shocking
and, quite frankly, chilling things we saw last night. There are
Members of the Labour party—a once great political party—who are
standing up for the Jewish community, and long may they continue
to do that, but those on the Front Bench have to understand the
graveness of what we saw. It is one thing to be incompetent and
fail to grip a situation. It is quite another to be complicit in
it.
Mrs (Mid Derbyshire) (Con)
T5. What steps is the Minister taking to protect people from
sexual harassment at work, particularly in the charity sector?
[911890]
I thank my hon. Friend, particularly for the work she has done in
focusing both domestically and internationally on this issue. As
I said in my opening statement, we are today issuing a
consultation, which will apply across every sector, to protect
workers against harassment, particularly sexual harassment. Of
course, the Department for International Development has done a
tremendous amount in the wake of the Oxfam scandal, ensuring that
the victims’ voices can be heard, but also that we are building
the systems we need globally to protect people from predatory
individuals.
Mrs (South Shields) (Lab)
T2. A constituent of mine was involved in several car accidents,
leaving them disabled. After going through the difficult process
of claiming disability benefits, they are now being denied legal
aid in relation to these accidents. This constituent is a
veteran. Is the Minister not ashamed that my constituent, after
serving our country, does not have his years of service impacting
on his wellbeing, but this Government’s hostile environment
towards disabled people, who, as confirmed by the UN, are
disproportionately denied justice? [911886]
If the hon. Lady would give me the details of that case, I will
be very happy to look at it.
(Waveney) (Con)
T6. As we have heard from the hon. Member for Bristol West
(), the Lowestoft Signing
Choir produced a moving and superb performance in Portcullis
House last night. Its members Ann and Daniel Jillings have been
passionately campaigning for a GCSE in British sign language.
While preparatory work is under way, will my right hon. Friend
the Minister for Women and Equalities work with the Department
for Education and with the Minister for School Standards, who has
been very supportive—he is in his place—to ensure that this exam,
which will transform so many people’s lives, is put in the
curriculum as soon as practically possible? [911892]
The Minister for School Standards ()
I am delighted to confirm that we are committed to the
development of a BSL GCSE. Daniel Jillings and his mother Ann
have been formidable campaigners on this issue. Daniel in
particular, despite his young age, has been very influential
indeed with his campaign. We are pushing this work forward as
soon as we can, while also ensuring that it can be completed to
the highest standard. My hon. Friend will be aware that the
development of a new GCSE is a complex and lengthy process, but,
as I say, we are committed to it as a new GCSE.
(Ilford North) (Lab)
T4. In case it is her last Question Time, may I thank the
Minister for Women and Equalities for the leadership she has
shown on LGBT equality during her time in post to date, which I
know will continue? However, may I press her and the Government
on sex and relationships education guidance to schools? The
message from headteachers is overwhelming: they desperately need
clearer, simpler, straightforward guidance that they can hold up
to parents, governors and everyone else to make sure that no
child in this country goes without inclusive relationships
education. [911888]
First, I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind words. It will not
be my last Women and Equalities questions; I just may be sitting
in a different place. I agree, absolutely, that guidance is
incredibly important. The work that the Department for Education
has been doing has been making good progress on that. I think we
need to have absolute clarity on these issues, and I am confident
that the Department for Education is doing that.
