Recommendations & Conclusions
7 items
10
Recommendation
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
The Department for Work and Pensions must urgently conduct or commission research to develop its understanding of the gendered impact of Universal Credit design, including the wait for the first payment; the single household payment structure; joint eligibility assessment; and the single earnings disregard. We recommend this research be commenced …
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The Department for Work and Pensions must urgently conduct or commission research to develop its understanding of the gendered impact of Universal Credit design, including the wait for the first payment; the single household payment structure; joint eligibility assessment; and the single earnings disregard. We recommend this research be commenced within two months of publication of this Report.
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Government response AI summary
The government discusses "A Plan for Jobs" supporting unemployed people, including women, through schemes like Kickstart and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, and cross-government collaboration to support UC claimants with barriers like childcare. However, it does not commit to conducting or commissioning research into the gendered …
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Government Equalities Office
19
Recommendation
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
We recommend that the Government establish quotas for women in its Kickstart scheme.
Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses gender pay gap reporting regulations and extended deadlines, failing to address the recommendation regarding establishing quotas for women in the Kickstart scheme.
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Government Equalities Office
20
Recommendation
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
We recommend that DWP introduce training for Jobcentre Plus work coaches on supporting applicants into gender ‘atypical’ jobs. (Paragraph 80) Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination
Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses support for disabled people in employment, the voluntary reporting framework for disability, and the ethnicity pay reporting consultation, but does not address the recommendation for DWP to introduce training for Jobcentre Plus work coaches on supporting applicants into gender 'atypical' jobs.
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Government Equalities Office
21
Recommendation
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
We are gravely concerned by evidence detailing potentially unlawful and discriminatory practices towards pregnant women and those on maternity leave during the pandemic. This should have been better anticipated by the government at the beginning of the pandemic and preventative actions taken. It cannot be allowed to continue. The Government …
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We are gravely concerned by evidence detailing potentially unlawful and discriminatory practices towards pregnant women and those on maternity leave during the pandemic. This should have been better anticipated by the government at the beginning of the pandemic and preventative actions taken. It cannot be allowed to continue. The Government must act now to prevent further discrimination, particularly as we enter a time of potentially unprecedented job losses, to which pregnant women and new mothers may be particularly vulnerable.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses support for disabled people in employment and the status of ethnicity pay reporting consultations, but it completely fails to address the recommendation regarding discrimination against pregnant women and new mothers.
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Government Equalities Office
22
Recommendation
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
We urge the Government to introduce legislation in this Parliamentary session to extend redundancy protection to pregnant women and new mothers. The Government must also publish a cross-departmental strategy, following consultation with stakeholders, for dealing with pregnancy and maternity discrimination. We recommend this strategy be published within the next six …
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We urge the Government to introduce legislation in this Parliamentary session to extend redundancy protection to pregnant women and new mothers. The Government must also publish a cross-departmental strategy, following consultation with stakeholders, for dealing with pregnancy and maternity discrimination. We recommend this strategy be published within the next six months. (Paragraph 93) Childcare
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Government response AI summary
The government's response details the collection and publication of redundancy data by the Insolvency Service and ONS, but it does not address the recommendation to introduce legislation for extending redundancy protection for pregnant women and new mothers, or to publish a cross-departmental strategy on maternity …
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Government Equalities Office
26
Conclusion
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
We are concerned that the Government Equalities Office (GEO) did not anticipate how inequalities were likely to be exacerbated by the pandemic and ensure that it influenced the policy response, including in relation to employment, welfare, childcare and pregnancy and maternity. We have seen little evidence that the Government has …
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We are concerned that the Government Equalities Office (GEO) did not anticipate how inequalities were likely to be exacerbated by the pandemic and ensure that it influenced the policy response, including in relation to employment, welfare, childcare and pregnancy and maternity. We have seen little evidence that the Government has conducted any robust or meaningful analysis of the gendered impact of its economic policies during the Coronavirus crisis. This was a crucial opportunity for the GEO to realise its strategic objective to “put equalities at the heart of Government”, by working with Departments to embed gender-sensitive measures in the policy responses to Coronavirus. We have little confidence that the GEO has either understood this to be their role or sought to fulfil it.
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Government response AI summary
The government details the Equality Hub's goal to ensure evidence-based measures, considering various characteristics and data gaps through the Equality Data Programme and ONS Inclusive Data Taskforce. It also references gender pay gap reporting, but does not directly address the committee's specific concerns about the …
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Government Equalities Office
27
Conclusion
Fifth report: Unequal impact? Coronavir…
Not Addressed
We were concerned to hear the Minister for Equalities repeatedly refer to considering the effects of policies “in the round” in response to questions about the gendered impact of the Government’s policies. We are deeply concerned that a GEO Minister should appear dismissive of the imperative to consider the effects …
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We were concerned to hear the Minister for Equalities repeatedly refer to considering the effects of policies “in the round” in response to questions about the gendered impact of the Government’s policies. We are deeply concerned that a GEO Minister should appear dismissive of the imperative to consider the effects of policies on those with protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Such consideration is a legal requirement clearly set out in the Act’s Public Sector Equality Duty. While we acknowledge that the Government intends to take a “new approach to tackling inequality”, it has a continuing legal duty to ensure its policies and decisions do not adversely affect groups of people with protected characteristics. We are scrutinising the Government’s “new approach to fairness” in a separate inquiry.
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Government response AI summary
The government details the Equality Hub's goal to base fairness measures on evidence, considering various characteristics and data gaps through the Equality Data Programme and ONS Inclusive Data Taskforce. It also mentions supporting gender pay gap reporting, but does not directly address the committee's specific …
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Government Equalities Office