Women in the Workplace

Becky Gittins (Clwyd East) (Lab) asked the Minister for Women and Equalities, Anneliese Dodds, what steps she is taking to support women in the workplace. The Minister responded that the government's mission is to make work pay, and they will provide protections from maternity discrimination and sexual harassment, speed up progress on the gender pay gap, and strengthen equal pay protections to enable women to thrive and transform their working lives. Becky Gittins followed up, agreeing that to grow the economy, we need to create conditions to encourage and support more women back into the workplace, unlike the "incredibly worrying comments" from Opposition leadership contenders. The Minister strongly agreed, stating that supporting women to return and progress at work is crucial for securing economic growth, and this Labour Government is on the side of new mothers, strengthening their workplace protections, improving access to flexible working, and creating the conditions for all parents to balance work and care. Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP) then intervened, noting that four women have been brutally killed in Northern Ireland in the past six weeks, bringing the total to 24 since 2020, many of them professional women working and contributing to society. She asked the Minister if she agrees that we need to do more than just pay lip service to supporting women, whether in the home or in the workplace, to punish these perpetrators. The Minister agreed, stating that it is extremely concerning whenever women face violence, and that the government is acting to ensure, for example, that there are domestic abuse specialists in emergency rooms and specialist rape crisis centres, working across the UK on these shared concerns for the sake of women and girls. Finally, Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab) raised the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week, noting that many private sector employers and the NHS have led the way in offering paid bereavement leave for those who miscarry, and asked the Minister if she agrees that all workers could and should benefit from the right to bereavement leave following baby loss. The Minister thanked her for raising the issue, congratulated her on her election as Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, and stated that she is pleased to see the progress made by some major employers, and that she looks forward to working with Sarah Owen to ensure that those who experience baby loss are supported and protected, particularly at the most difficult times.