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Harman pushes discrimination plan Harman pushes discrimination plan
(about 1 hour later)
Harriet Harman has defended plans to make it legal for firms to discriminate in favour of female and ethnic minorities job candidates. Equality minister Harriet Harman has defended plans to allow firms to discriminate in favour of female and ethnic minorities job candidates.
The equalities minister said firms should be able to choose a woman over a man of equal ability if they wanted to. She said firms should be able to choose a woman over a man of equal ability if they wanted to - or vice versa.
The new Equalities Bill will also force employers to disclose salary structures in a bid to close the gender pay gap.The new Equalities Bill will also force employers to disclose salary structures in a bid to close the gender pay gap.
The plans, which will be adopted first across England then Wales and Scotland, will also ban all age discrimination.The plans, which will be adopted first across England then Wales and Scotland, will also ban all age discrimination.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme Setting out the plans in a Commons statement, Ms Harman said the proposed legislation - due later this year - would "address the serious inequalities that still exist" in the UK.
Ms Harman said she wanted a more "open and diverse" economy with companies not just choosing from "a pool of friends of friends". 'Old boy network'
Tackled on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about whether the proposals would lead to discrimination against white men, she said companies would not be forced to use positive discrimination. They would increase fairness and diversity and help Britain compete in the global economy by being more open, she told MPs.
Age discrimination "A society which is equal and fair is a one which is more at ease with itself," Ms Harman told MPs.
But she added: "They might think we don't want an all male team.
"We've got a new post coming up, we've got equally qualified men and women going for it, we are going to pick the woman because we want to have a more balanced top team.
Everybody should be treated as individuals and not just discriminated against across the board because of their age Harriet Harman Mark Easton on the gender gapEverybody should be treated as individuals and not just discriminated against across the board because of their age Harriet Harman Mark Easton on the gender gap
"The law at the moment is not clear and we are clarifying and saying if you want to do it, you can, and it makes it much more open." They would also bring together all previous discrimination law into a single piece of legislation which she said would cut red tape for business.
Ms Harman will set out the proposals in the Commons later. She said allowing positive discrimination would help organisations such as the police better reflect the communities they serve by recruiting more female and ethnic minority officers.
Age discrimination in the workplace has been illegal since 2006, but the new legislation will tackle more widespread forms of age-related prejudice. But if, for example, a headmistress wanted to recruit a male teacher to balance an all female team that would be allowed too.
The Bill aims to close the gender pay gap by forcing firms to "publish their gender pay gap".
Wage gapWage gap
Female part-time workers still earned 40% less per hour than their full-time male counterparts, Ms Harman told Today. Asked how she could justify discrimination in the name of equality, she said she wanted tackle "patterns of discrimination" in the workforce and ensure firms were "not just 'entrenched in the old boy network'".
Age discrimination in the workplace has been illegal since 2006, but the new legislation will tackle more widespread forms of age-related prejudice.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
The bill aims to close the gender pay gap by forcing firms to "publish their gender pay gap".
Female part-time workers still earned 40% less per hour than their full-time male counterparts, Ms Harman told Today BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"Do we think she is 40% less intelligent, less committed, less hard-working, less qualified? It's not the case. It's entrenched discrimination. It's allowed to persist because it's all swept under the carpet.""Do we think she is 40% less intelligent, less committed, less hard-working, less qualified? It's not the case. It's entrenched discrimination. It's allowed to persist because it's all swept under the carpet."
class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAY It's a very artificial way to fix the problemJohnny, East London class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5010">Send us your comments The bill will also seek to stop pensioners being denied NHS treatment because of their age.
The Bill will also seek to stop pensioners being denied NHS treatment because of their age.
Ms Harman said doctors will still be able to refuse treatment if they believe there are sound clinical reason for doing so.Ms Harman said doctors will still be able to refuse treatment if they believe there are sound clinical reason for doing so.
HAVE YOUR SAY It's a very artificial way to fix the problemJohnny, East LondonSend us your comments
But she added: "Everybody should be treated as individuals and not just discriminated against across the board because of their age."But she added: "Everybody should be treated as individuals and not just discriminated against across the board because of their age."
Age discrimination will also be outlawed in the provision of goods and services, such as holidays and insurance.Age discrimination will also be outlawed in the provision of goods and services, such as holidays and insurance.
It is likely organisations and companies will be given time to review and, if necessary, change their practices before the new law would be enforced.It is likely organisations and companies will be given time to review and, if necessary, change their practices before the new law would be enforced.
Other age distinctions, such as free bus passes and holidays for the over-50s or 18-to-30s, will be exempt.Other age distinctions, such as free bus passes and holidays for the over-50s or 18-to-30s, will be exempt.
Theresa May, for the Conservatives, broadly welcomed the proposals but said they were short on detail.
The Tories want compulsory pay audits for firms found guilty of gender discrimination at industrial tribunals.