Select committee: Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 1
First Report - Menopause and the Workplace
Published 28 Jul 2022
Paragraph 18
Addressed to Government Equalities Office
Women and Equalities Committee Menopause and the workplace All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
Menopause still carries significant social and cultural stigma, particularly for certain groups, including LGBT+ people and young and ethnic minority women. We are encouraged by the recent shift towards talking about menopause more openly, by the inclusion of menopause in the Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum and the recognition of persistent stigmas and taboos in the Women’s Health Strategy. However, this is no time for complacency, and we must build on the growing momentum. The Government should lead on disseminating good quality and accurate information about menopause. Firstly, we recommend that the Government launches a visible public health campaign around menopause; its symptoms, impact and how to seek treatment and other help, including support at work. A diverse range of expert stakeholders should be consulted to ensure the campaign is inclusive, accurate and impactful and reaches communities and groups typically underrepresented in discussions around menopause. Second, the Government should work with schools and menopause experts to develop high quality, accurate and inclusive resources and ensure that teachers have the knowledge, confidence and ability to teach this important aspect of the RSHE curriculum to all pupils.
From: Women and Equalities Committee, First Report - Menopause and the Workplace (HC 91), paragraph 18, 28 July 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 24 January 2023 (deadline 28 September 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the Committee's report and responds to each recommendation, accepting some in full, some in principle or in part, and not accepting others.
- On a public health campaign, the government "accepts this recommendation in principle" but says that "at this stage there is already much work underway or planned". It "will keep the impact of current initiatives under review" and "continue to consider if a public health campaign may be needed in the future".
- On HRT costs, it accepts the recommendation in part. A bespoke HRT pre-payment certificate will be introduced "from April 2023, subject to consultation", costing the equivalent of two prescription charges. It does not accept a national HRT formulary, saying one "is not required".
- On flexible working, the government "accepts this recommendation" and has committed to making it a "day one" right, which it says it can do through regulations. It will "consider guidance alongside legislative developments".
- The government does not accept the recommendations to commence section 14 of the Equality Act 2010 or to consult on a new protected characteristic of menopause, saying it is "not satisfied that the evidence given to the Committee" fully supports new legislation.