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Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

Unequal impact? Coronavirus and the gendered economic impact

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Jun 2020 Closed: 4 Nov 2021 25 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

Unequal impact? Coronavirus and the gendered economic impact The Women and Equalities Committee is launching three sub-inquiries, drawing on evidence to our Unequal impact: Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the impact on people with protected characteristics inquiry. Read more about our decision to launch the sub-inquires . In this sub-inquiry, we want to look in more detail … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavirus and the gendered … HC 385 9 Feb 2021 37 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
7 Recommendation Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir… Deferred

We recommend the Government amend the Flexible Working Regulations 2014, to remove the 26-weeks’ service...

We recommend the Government amend the Flexible Working Regulations 2014, to remove the 26-weeks’ service threshold for employees to request flexible working arrangements. The pandemic has clearly demonstrated that it is unhelpful and unnecessary. (Paragraph 29) 40 Unequal impact? Coronavirus and the gendered economic impact Read more

Government response AI summary
The government is "considering" the recommendation, agreeing with the principle of increasing flexible working access, and committed to issuing a consultation on making flexible working the default "in due course," deferring specific action on the requested amendment.
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Government Equalities Office
33 Recommendation Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir… Deferred

We recommend the GEO and EHRC explore the feasibility of reporting on parental leave policies...

We recommend the GEO and EHRC explore the feasibility of reporting on parental leave policies in addition to gender gaps in furlough and redundancies for 2020/21 to supplement the information on pay and bonuses. We also urge the Government to support The Equal Pay (Implementation and Claims) Bill. Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it is 'considering' the matter and will publish its formal response in due course to a July 2019 consultation on proposals to require large employers to publish their parental leave and pay policies. The response does not address the recommendation to support …
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Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
4 Nov 2020 Helen Walker · Department of Work and Pensions, Jo Warner · Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Kemi Badenoch MP · Government Equalities Office, Mims Davies MP · Department for Work and Pensions, Paul Scully MP · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Paul Trenell · Government Equalities Office, Tom Hemingway · HM Treasury View ↗
14 Oct 2020 Dr Duncan Brown · Institute of Employment Studies, Dr Monica Costas Dias · Institute for Fiscal Studies, Professor Jill Rubery · University of Manchester View ↗
16 Sep 2020 Liz Bayram · Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), Mary Robertson · Trades Union Congress, Victoria Brownlie · The British Beauty Council View ↗
8 Jul 2020 Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson · UK Women's Budget Group, Professor Abi Adams-Prassl · University of Oxford, Rosalind Bragg · Maternity Action, Victoria Benson · Gingerbread View ↗

Who gave evidence

17 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dr Duncan Brown · Principal Associate Institute of Employment Studies 1
Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson · Director UK Women's Budget Group 1
Dr Monica Costas Dias · Deputy Research Director Institute for Fiscal Studies 1
Helen Walker · Deputy Director Department of Work and Pensions 1
Jo Warner · Deputy Director Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Kemi Badenoch MP Government Equalities Office 1
Liz Bayram · Chief Executive Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) 1
Mary Robertson · Senior Policy Officer Trades Union Congress 1
Mims Davies MP · Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Work and Pensions 1
Paul Scully MP · Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour… Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Paul Trenell · Head of Analysis and Gender Equality Government Equalities Office 1
Professor Abi Adams-Prassl · Senior Research Fellow University of Oxford 1
Professor Jill Rubery · Professor of Comparative Employment Systems University of Manchester 1
Rosalind Bragg · Director Maternity Action 1
Tom Hemingway · Deputy Director HM Treasury 1
Victoria Benson · CEO Gingerbread 1
Victoria Brownlie · Chief Policy and Sustainability Officer The British Beauty Council 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
27 Apr 2021 — EHRC response to the Committees report ‘Unequal Impact? Coronavirus and the gen…