EEF response to Equalities Bill

"The vast majority of companies do not set out to discriminate on pay against their workers. As the Government's own statistics illustrate, key drivers of gender pay differences are different educational experiences and choices after childcare. For this reason we are pleased that the govermment has not bowed to pressure to introduce complusory pay audits, which would have imposed significant administrative and financial burdens, without clear evidence that they would have tackled the underlying issues.

"However, the government's plans to use public procurement as a means of closing the gender pay gap does not offer the solution either. There is also real danger that using public procurement to encourage "best practice" could potentially disadvantage smaller employers. Many smaller employers adopt an exemplary approach to equality issues, but will not necessarily have the resources to produce detailed written policies and procedures."