The European Commission published a Green Paper ("An EU approach to managing economic migration") in January 2005, setting out proposals for a common EU policy for the admission of immigrants for employment and migrant workers' rights. In light of this consultation paper, the Committee's report examines the issue of economic migration to the EU and the level at which it should be regulated, and discusses whether Member States should retain the freedom to decide on issues of economic migration independently of each other. The report is mostly concerned with migration into the EU, but also looks at some aspects of intra-EU movement; it does not consider illegal immigration or asylum issues. Issues discussed include: wider economic issues, the impact of globalisation, EU enlargement, options for control of migrant workers, the UK's position on the Commission's Green Paper, the case for a common EU policy, and the rights of migrant workers.
Despite thirty years of equal pay legislation, the gender pay gap remains, although it is narrowing. It is hard to eliminate, because men and women tend to work in different occupations and traditional female occupations tend to be lower paid and lower valued than men's. But such occupational segregation limits the pool of recruits available to employers. In its 2005 report, the Women and Work Commission (http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/publications/women_work_5threp.pdf) made 40 recommendations to tackle job segregation and the gender pay gap and this report seeks to examine what action has been taken to implement those recommendations and to identify any further steps needed. The report finds: there are insufficient training opportunities for women in non-traditional occupations and, until recently, little advice available for older women who want to change their work direction or who return after a break; the announced extension in apprenticeships is welcome but must not just follow traditional occupational breakdowns; it is important to address the undervaluation of 'traditional' women's jobs; the dearth of quality part-time jobs is a waste of the experience and skills of many older women and one of the main reasons for the persistence of the gender pay gap. The extension to the private sector of the gender equality duty imposed on the public sector from April 2007 could encourage greater transparency and positive action, but it is too still early to judge the success of this duty. It is clearly the case that the gender pay gap remains worryingly stubborn. The Committee recommends that if the pay gap continues to decline only slowly, the Government should look at further measures such as the extension of the gender equality duty and consider making pay audits mandatory.
On cover and title page: House, committees of the whole House, general committees and select committees. On title page: Returns to orders of the House of Commons dated 14 May 2013 (the Chairman of Ways and Means)
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