Progress on gender pay gap stalled (26/10/06)

Government efforts to narrow the pay gap between women and men are not working; bold new measures are urgently needed.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) today show that the mean hourly gender pay gap for full-time work has increased by 0.1% over the last 12 months from 17.1% to 17.2%.

This year, the Government has chosen to focus on the median pay gap figure - masking the real extent of the problem. Fawcett believes the mean pay figures better represent the true nature of the gender pay gap. Many women are clustered in the lowest paid professions and the median figures underplay this fact. Furthermore, international comparisons use mean earnings.

The Fawcett Society is calling for:

1. Compulsory pay audits for all organisations to reveal pay inequalities.
2. Stronger, well-enforced laws to ensure fair treatment of part-time employees.
3. Full sign-up to the Working Time Directive and other steps to tackle the UK's long hours working culture, which limits career advancement for women who have caring responsibilities and limits men's involvement at home.
4. More good quality, flexible working to allow women and men to better share employment and caring.

Kate Bellamy, Senior Policy Officer at the Fawcett Society, said: "It is deeply disappointing that, 30 years after equal pay legislation has been introduced, women are still paid significantly less than men and the problem is getting worse.

"We are calling on the Government today to take bold new measures to close the pay gap that causes so many women to be financially dependent on a partner or the state."