Equality Bill
During a debate on the Equality Bill, Brooks Newmark raises his concerns about the pace of change of the disparity between what women and men are paid.
Mr. Brooks Newmark (Braintree) (Con): The hon. Member for Wallasey (Angela Eagle) made some excellent points by referencing statistics from the Fawcett Society. It is important to examine the pace of change of the disparity between what women and men are paid. The pay gap between full-time workers has moved by just 0.6 per cent. over the past year to 17.2 per cent.-I think that my figures are slightly more updated-and the gap between female and male part-time workers has moved by just 1.1 per cent. to 38.5 per cent. Given that rate of change, it will take 80 years, or even a century, for women to catch up with men. The point that I would like to make is-
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Michael Lord): Order. The hon. Gentleman has made his point.
Sandra Gidley: Those of us who are regular attendees at questions to the Minister for Women are well aware of the statistics cited by the hon. Gentleman. Although the full-time pay gap has narrowed since the introduction of the Equal Pay Act 1970, the big problem that must be addressed is the fact that the part-time pay gap has narrowed little.