Written question asked by Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 20 April 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 24 April 2006. It was answered by Charles Clarke (Labour) on Thursday, 4 May 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Equal Pay

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure that women in his Department receive equal pay for work of equal value.

Answer: The Home Office has since 2003 undertaken regular equal pay audits of its pay systems. These audits are undertaken on an annual basis following the implementation of pay awards. In addition, a more comprehensive equality proofing exercise of reward policies and practices are undertaken every three years. The findings of the equal pay audits and equality proofing exercises are shared with employee representatives. Where there are any equal pay concerns or issues, these are addressed through an equal action plan which in turn provides a direct input into the normal pay determination process with employee representatives.

Secondary information