Chloe calls for Equal Pay

Chloe Smith, Member of Parliament for Norwich North, today commented on a new report by the TUC and the ywca, a leading charity working with the most disadvantaged young women in England and Wales. The report highlights a 21% gender pay gap in apprenticeships.

The report has been published the day before Equal Pay Day (2nd November), so chosen because the 16.4% average full-time gender pay gap is equivalent to men being paid all year round whilst women work for free after 2 November.

Chloe is a patron of YMCA Norfolk.

Commenting on the report, Chloe Smith said:

"On October 1st several provisions of the Equality Act 2010 came into force, one of which is to make secrecy clauses unenforceable, allowing women to find out if they are being paid less than their male counterparts. I see this as very important in the quest for Equal Pay.

"However it is important that we recognise that simply changing the law will not be enough. Businesses and organisations need to play their part as well and make the workplace as flexible as possible in addition to ensuring that women are not unfairly paid."