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| Minister criticises chair of women in business review over pay gap comments | Minister criticises chair of women in business review over pay gap comments |
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| Anne Milton says Sir Philip Hampton fails to understand barriers facing women in the workplace as scheme to help parents return to work launches | |
| Rowena Mason Deputy political editor | |
| Mon 28 Aug 2017 00.01 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 17.55 GMT | |
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| The women’s minister, Anne Milton, has accused Sir Philip Hampton, who is leading a government review of the role of women in business, of failing to understand the barriers facing women in the workplace after he suggested female BBC presenters were partly to blame for allowing the gender pay gap to happen. | The women’s minister, Anne Milton, has accused Sir Philip Hampton, who is leading a government review of the role of women in business, of failing to understand the barriers facing women in the workplace after he suggested female BBC presenters were partly to blame for allowing the gender pay gap to happen. |
| Milton is the first minister to contradict the remarks made last month by Hampton, a high-profile businessman who is chairing a government review looking at increasing the number of women in senior corporate roles. | Milton is the first minister to contradict the remarks made last month by Hampton, a high-profile businessman who is chairing a government review looking at increasing the number of women in senior corporate roles. |
| “I think Philip Hampton did not fully appreciate some of the barriers that women face … I don’t think he fully understood the barriers that women face,” Milton said. | “I think Philip Hampton did not fully appreciate some of the barriers that women face … I don’t think he fully understood the barriers that women face,” Milton said. |
| She was speaking as the government launched a scheme that will establish new training courses and support for parents returning to work after taking time out to look after children and those who have had breaks to care for elderly or disabled relatives. | She was speaking as the government launched a scheme that will establish new training courses and support for parents returning to work after taking time out to look after children and those who have had breaks to care for elderly or disabled relatives. |
| Asked whether there was any truth in the idea that women less often asked for pay rises, Milton said: “Women like to do things properly and I think they are probably less demanding and the reasons for that are complex. None of these things are straightforward … And none of them are reasons why women should be paid less than men. Absolutely not. It is inexcusable.” | Asked whether there was any truth in the idea that women less often asked for pay rises, Milton said: “Women like to do things properly and I think they are probably less demanding and the reasons for that are complex. None of these things are straightforward … And none of them are reasons why women should be paid less than men. Absolutely not. It is inexcusable.” |
| Hampton said last month that BBC women paid less than their male costars had “let it happen” and claimed women had never asked him for pay rises, in contrast to their male colleagues. At the time, No 10 declined to comment directly on the remarks. | Hampton said last month that BBC women paid less than their male costars had “let it happen” and claimed women had never asked him for pay rises, in contrast to their male colleagues. At the time, No 10 declined to comment directly on the remarks. |
| After an outcry from senior women in politics and broadcasting, Hampton later insisted he was not blaming women but acknowledging differences in behaviour. | After an outcry from senior women in politics and broadcasting, Hampton later insisted he was not blaming women but acknowledging differences in behaviour. |
| Under the government’s new equalities scheme, the first programmes using money from a £5m fund announced at the budget will be for social workers, civil servants, some health professionals and teachers. | Under the government’s new equalities scheme, the first programmes using money from a £5m fund announced at the budget will be for social workers, civil servants, some health professionals and teachers. |
| Ministers are particularly keen to help women returning to work after children because the gender pay gap of 18% increases to 25% among workers in their 40s. | Ministers are particularly keen to help women returning to work after children because the gender pay gap of 18% increases to 25% among workers in their 40s. |
| Milton said there were economic reasons why companies should not neglect female talent in their workforce, but her main reason for supporting the policy was about encouraging women to fulfil their potential. | Milton said there were economic reasons why companies should not neglect female talent in their workforce, but her main reason for supporting the policy was about encouraging women to fulfil their potential. |
| “Women returning to work sometimes settle for something slightly less,” she said. “On average women’s earnings decrease by 2% for every year they have off. So over say an eight-year period your chances of earning are significantly reduced.” | “Women returning to work sometimes settle for something slightly less,” she said. “On average women’s earnings decrease by 2% for every year they have off. So over say an eight-year period your chances of earning are significantly reduced.” |
| The senior MP, who was elected at the age of 50 after a career as a nurse, said the overall gender pay gap was not closing sufficiently quickly. | The senior MP, who was elected at the age of 50 after a career as a nurse, said the overall gender pay gap was not closing sufficiently quickly. |
| “Change is not happening fast enough,” she said. “Look back to the second world war when women were beginning to work in factories. We’ve shifted but not far enough.” | “Change is not happening fast enough,” she said. “Look back to the second world war when women were beginning to work in factories. We’ve shifted but not far enough.” |
| But she argued that legislation forcing big companies to disclose their pay figures by April next year would be a first step towards changing corporate attitudes and the institutional sexism that she said still existed. | But she argued that legislation forcing big companies to disclose their pay figures by April next year would be a first step towards changing corporate attitudes and the institutional sexism that she said still existed. |
| “It is a wake-up call to organisations to say: if there is a gap, why do we have a gap, and ask are we missing out on the female skills of the workforce,” she said. | “It is a wake-up call to organisations to say: if there is a gap, why do we have a gap, and ask are we missing out on the female skills of the workforce,” she said. |
| The scale of the gender pay gap in some sectors was underlined last month when the BBC was required to publish the salaries of its highest-paid stars, showing that only one-third of its top earners were women and the top seven were all men, with male co-presenters frequently earning more than their female colleagues. | The scale of the gender pay gap in some sectors was underlined last month when the BBC was required to publish the salaries of its highest-paid stars, showing that only one-third of its top earners were women and the top seven were all men, with male co-presenters frequently earning more than their female colleagues. |
| While stressing the BBC was just one organisation, Milton said: “Diversity of workforce is good for an organisation. So why don’t they recognise that? Why did the BBC not recognise the value of the women? I don’t know.” | While stressing the BBC was just one organisation, Milton said: “Diversity of workforce is good for an organisation. So why don’t they recognise that? Why did the BBC not recognise the value of the women? I don’t know.” |
| Milton said she thought employers should take the lead in reducing the gender pay gap but there also needed to be wider shifts in attitudes in society towards accepting more flexible work and the sharing of domestic labour. | Milton said she thought employers should take the lead in reducing the gender pay gap but there also needed to be wider shifts in attitudes in society towards accepting more flexible work and the sharing of domestic labour. |
| “Nothing is inevitable and that is where it gets quite complex,” she said. “I think there are attitudinal shifts that are necessary. Women even in full-time work tend to perceive that they are responsible for the childcare. Even if they are not doing it, who employs the childminder and who sorts out the nursery? Is it always the woman or is it sometimes the man? We need to find out a lot more about that sort of thing. | “Nothing is inevitable and that is where it gets quite complex,” she said. “I think there are attitudinal shifts that are necessary. Women even in full-time work tend to perceive that they are responsible for the childcare. Even if they are not doing it, who employs the childminder and who sorts out the nursery? Is it always the woman or is it sometimes the man? We need to find out a lot more about that sort of thing. |
| “If you are both working full-time and have friends round for supper, who cooks, who bears responsibility for how dirty the lavatory is? Who takes on [things] – it’s something as women we do for ourselves. There are cultural and attitudinal things we do need to shift.” | “If you are both working full-time and have friends round for supper, who cooks, who bears responsibility for how dirty the lavatory is? Who takes on [things] – it’s something as women we do for ourselves. There are cultural and attitudinal things we do need to shift.” |
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