Speeches

Ben Howlett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Women and Equalities

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps to increase the reporting of gender balance on corporate boards.

Caroline Dinenage

This Government is determined to make sure all women can fulfil their potential. This has been a crucial part of the success Lord Davies had in increasing the number of women on boards. We will continue to work with international leaders Cranfield University to ensure continued transparency on this agenda.

There are also other reporting measures which are in place which allow us to get a clearer picture of where there are issues and help employers identify where action needs to be taken. We will be introducing regulations that require large employers to report on gender pay gaps and differential bonus payments. Alongside this, as part of the BIS Narrative Reporting Requirements, FTSE listed companies need to report on gender diversity at Board and senior management level.

These measures have proven to be effective as there are more women than ever on boards, and we are committed to continuing with them in order to see further progress.