Sarah Champion MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, reacting to the latest release of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics, which shows a gender pay gap of 18.1% for full-time and part-time employees, said:  

“While this fall is welcome, progress to combat the gender pay gap is still not moving quickly enough.

“We are still above the EU average and he underlying causes of the gap remain.

“Women are stuck in low paid, part-time work and remain overwhelmingly responsible for childcare.

“The figures today only tell us half the story – they do not account for women who are self-employed, often earning less than the minimum wage.

“Under the Tories the majority of the tax and benefit changes have fallen on the shoulders of women. It’s no wonder they still refuse to carry out a gender impact assessment on their own policies.”