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Bill set to expose gender pay gap Bill set to expose gender pay gap
(about 1 hour later)
Employers are to be made to reveal how much male staff are paid compared with their female colleagues, under a bill to be published on Monday. Many employers are to be made to reveal how much male staff are paid compared with their female colleagues, under legislation to be published later.
Ministers hope the Equality Bill will tackle discrimination against a range of groups including the elderly, women and those from lower social classes. The Equality Bill aims to tackle discrimination against a range of groups including women, the elderly, and those from lower social classes.
It will force public bodies, such as in health and education, to try to address social inequalities It will also make it a legal duty of public bodies in England and Wales to address social inequalities.
The Tories have labelled those plans as resembling "class war attacks". The Conservatives have described the plans as "class war attacks".
Meanwhile, the British Chambers of Commerce says small firms are already struggling to cope with a "mass" of employment law. Minister for Equality Harriet Harman pledged the bill would help to "narrow the gap between rich and poor and make Britain more equal".
Minister for Equality Harriet Harman said the bill would help to "narrow the gap between rich and poor and make Britain more equal". The result of this [bill] will mean that it will take longer to get out of recession and companies will be loathe to take on more employees David FrostBritish Chambers of Commerce
The government promised the bill, which will also ban age discrimination outside the workplace, in its manifesto before the last election. Ministers say the need for new measures is borne out by evidence showing that by the age of six, bright children from poor families are overtaken by less able children from wealthier homes and that people in deprived areas tend to suffer more from ill health.
Ministers were spurred on by the fact that - 40 years after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act - women in the UK still earned on average 23% less per hour than men. The government had promised the bill, which will also ban age discrimination outside the workplace, in its manifesto before the last election.
There is no excuse for having unfairness when times are difficult Harriet Harman Ministers also want to tackle the fact that - 40 years after the introduction of the Equal Pay Act - women in the UK still earn on average 23% less per hour than men.
The new bill will require companies employing at least 250 staff to publish their gender pay gaps by 2013. If too few have done so voluntarily, the government will use laws to make it happen.The new bill will require companies employing at least 250 staff to publish their gender pay gaps by 2013. If too few have done so voluntarily, the government will use laws to make it happen.
'Struggling to survive'
However, business leaders have criticised the measures, saying small firms are already struggling to cope with a "mass" of employment law.
Miles Templeman, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "This is a further example of unnecessary regulation at a time when companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are struggling to survive."Miles Templeman, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "This is a further example of unnecessary regulation at a time when companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are struggling to survive."
David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, will tell its annual convention on Monday: "Too often the Government sees the answer to a problem as being more legislation. There is no excuse for having unfairness when times are difficult Harriet HarmanMinister for equality
"The result of this will mean that it will take longer to get out of recession and companies will be loathe to take on more employees." David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, will tell its annual convention on Monday that the government too often sees the answer to a problem as being more legislation.
Dismissing their view, Ms Harman said: "There is no excuse for having unfairness when times are difficult. "The result of this will mean that it will take longer to get out of recession and companies will be loathe to take on more employees," he will say.
"The economies and societies which will prosper in the future are not those that have rigid hierarchies, where women know their place and where you can't go forward because of the colour of your skin. But Ms Harman said there was "no excuse for having unfairness when times are difficult".
"The economies and societies which will prosper in the future are not those that have rigid hierarchies, where women know their place and where you can't go forward because of the colour of your skin," she said.
"That's a very backward-looking argument.""That's a very backward-looking argument."
The bill will allow employers to appoint people specifically on the basis of race or gender, when choosing between candidates who are equally suitable, to help create a more balanced workforce.
Age discriminationAge discrimination
Another of its controversial goals is to ban age discrimination. Another of the bill's controversial goals is to ban age discrimination.
Ministers want older people to pay for services like insurance based on the actual risk they face, rather than an arbitrary age-based cost. Ministers want older people to pay for services, such as insurance, based on the actual risk they face, rather than an arbitrary age-based cost. This has the backing of charity Age Concern and Help the Aged.
This has the backing of Age Concern and Help the Aged. The Association of British Insurers has denied its members' policies are unfair, saying they simply take account of risk. However, the Association of British Insurers has denied its members' policies are unfair, saying they simply take account of risk.
A new "social economic duty" will also be placed on public bodies. The bill will also give public bodies in England and Wales, including councils and health authorities, a new "social economic duty" - something that is already done in Scotland.
For example, this will require health trusts to target services such as stop-smoking clinics at people in deprived areas - where smoking rates tend to be higher. For example, health trusts will be required to target services, such as stop-smoking clinics, at people in deprived areas - where smoking rates tend to be higher.
Education authorities will be expected to come up with policies which prevent children from poorer backgrounds from missing out on places at the best schools. Education authorities will also be expected to come up with policies which prevent children from poorer backgrounds from missing out on places at the best schools.
Ms Harman has insisted the bill will not mean working-class people being given precedence in job applications or waiting lists for services. However, Ms Harman has insisted the bill will not mean working-class people are given precedence in job applications or on waiting lists for services.
The Conservatives have already attacked this area as "missing the point". The Conservatives have previously attacked such measures as "missing the point".
Shadow work and pensions minister Theresa May said earlier this year: "You don't make people's lives better by telling them they have a legal right to a better life.Shadow work and pensions minister Theresa May said earlier this year: "You don't make people's lives better by telling them they have a legal right to a better life.
"You do it by tackling the root causes like family breakdown and poor education.""You do it by tackling the root causes like family breakdown and poor education."