July 2020

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for writing to me about ethnicity pay gaps and pay gap reporting. I have read your email carefully and noted the key points that you raise.

I would like to reassure you that I take discrimination with regard to all work places very seriously, and I know that my colleagues in Government are working hard to address this issue. To achieve this, most importantly, we must ensure that everybody has fair access to opportunities and promotions and that we work towards having a true meritocracy in all walks of life.  In doing so, please note that I loathe so called positive discrimination just as much as I loathe discrimination of any other kind.

As you are aware, from October 2018 to January 2019 the Government ran a consultation on Ethnicity Pay Reporting which received over 300 responses. Since then, Ministers have met with businesses and industry representative organisations. These meetings have focussed on what information could be published to allow for meaningful action to be taken. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has run voluntary methodology testing with a wide range of businesses to better understand the complexities highlighted in the consultation using real payroll data.

For more information please see: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ethnicity-pay-reporting

It is my understanding that the Government will be publishing its next steps in due course. Please be assured that I will continue to monitor all developments very closely.

Thank you again for writing to me.

With best wishes.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Lord MP

Member of Parliament for Woking