SETTLEMENT OF EQUAL PAY CASES IN THE PRISON SERVICE

Early day motion 1921, tabled 28 March 2006 by John McDonnell (Labour). Signed by 74 members.

That this House welcomes the settlement of over 3,000 equal pay cases of predominately female members of staff working in the Prison Service after seven years of litigation; pays tribute to the thousands of members of the Public and Commercial Services Union who work in prisons across the country in administrative, executive and support roles and congratulates them on their victory, which ensures they will receive equal pay regardless of gender; believes that closing the gender pay gap is a priority and more positive action from the Government needs to be taken in order to address this problem across all Civil Service departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies; urges the Government to lead by example to ensure comprehensive equal pay audits are completed in each Government department, agency and non-departmental public body to ensure public servants are paid equally, regardless of their gender; and further urges the Government to introduce class actions so as to end the unnecessary bureaucracy inherent in the Equal Pay Act, which requires each individual employee to submit a tribunal claim.

Signatures by party: Labour 48, Liberal Democrat 20, Conservative 3, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.