Clause 72
Equality Bill
11:45 am
Vera Baird (Solicitor General, Attorney General's Office; Redcar, Labour)
I am grateful that both Opposition parties have said that they support the clause. The Government think that it is necessary and a good move forward, as they do. For the sake of clarity, I emphasise that the clause does not require anyone to disclose their pay if they do not want to. It does not stop employers preventing employees from discussing their pay with or disclosing it to competitors or other people who are not colleagues of the employee, so it should not have any unintended consequences. We think, as colleagues do, that the clause is a useful tool to promote pay transparency and hence equality.