Wednesday Volume 678 22 July 2020 No. 91 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 22 July 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 2133 22 JULY 2020 2134 Kemi Badenoch: My hon. Friend is completely right. House of Commons It is important to remember that the PHE review findings did not take into account comorbidities or other factors Wednesday 22 July 2020 such as occupations. I agree with her that it is imperative for us to understand the key drivers of these disparities, the relationships between the risk factors and what we The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock can do to close the gap in the evidence that the review highlighted. PRAYERS Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) (Con): The recommendations in the Marmot review [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] and the Marmot review 10 years on would be a good Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Order, place to start when addressing health inequalities impacting 4 June). BAME communities. Is 10 years enough time to consider [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] the recommendations of the original review, and how long will it be before we see the recommendations of either implemented? Oral Answers to Questions Kemi Badenoch: I had a meeting with Professor Marmot just last month, and we discussed the recommendations of his review. If my right hon. Friend has seen the WOMEN AND EQUALITIES report, she will know that many of the recommendations are at a very high level. For instance, the first The Minister for Women and Equalities was asked— recommendation says that we should give every child the best start in life. I am sure that that was something she took forward when she was a Minister. This Covid-19: BAME Communities Government believe that it is important, and it is reflected in all our policies across education and communities. Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South) (Lab): What steps her Department has taken to help tackle the Transgender People: Discrimination disproportionate effect of the covid-19 outbreak on black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. [905149] Nadia Whittome (Nottingham East) (Lab): What steps Felicity Buchan (Kensington) (Con): What steps the the Government are taking to tackle discrimination Equality Hub is taking to better understand the effect against transgender people. [905150] of the covid-19 outbreak on black and minority ethnic people. [905155] The Minister for Women and Equalities (Elizabeth Truss): We are committed to tackling discrimination The Minister for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch): We are against transgender people. We have invested £4 million concerned that covid-19 is disproportionately impacting for schools to tackle anti-LGBT bullying, and we have ethnic minority communities, which is whythe Government addressed homophobic hate crime in the hate crime have put in place measures to reduce the spread of the action plan. virus, especially for people who may be at higher risk. In addition to a raft of specific targeted interventions, I Nadia Whittome: Successive Conservative Equalities am working with the Race Disparity Unit and the Ministers have repeatedly stalled on publishing the results Department of Health and Social Care to act on the of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 consultation. Leaked findings of the Public Health England review into disparities reports of a potential roll-back on trans rights have in risks and outcomes of covid-19. That work will understandably caused alarm. With hate crimes against enable us to take appropriate, evidence-based action to trans people up nearly 40% on last year, does the address the highlighted disparities. Secretary of State agree that her quibbling on this issue is fanning the flames of populist hate towards an already Stephen Morgan: In the light of the latest evidence marginalised group? from the TUC on racism and risk in the workplace, what steps will the Minister take to tackle the entrenched Elizabeth Truss: As the Prime Minister said, we will discrimination faced by black, Asian and minority ethnic respond to the consultation over the summer. Let me be people at work? absolutely clear: we will not be rolling back the rights of Kemi Badenoch: The Government are doing all they transgender people. It is important that transgender can to address racial disparities across all sectors. The people are able to live their lives as they wish, without hon. Gentleman may be aware of the commission that fear, and we will make sure that that is the case. the Prime Minister has set up, with the commissioners announced last week, which will look at continued Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) (Lab) [V]: In July 2018, disparities across the board, including in the workplace. the Government announced that they were seeking views on how best to reform the Gender Recognition Felicity Buchan: My constituency of Kensington has Act 2004 in a consultation that closed in October 2018. a substantial BAME population. Can my hon. Friend Nearly two years later, the Government have still not reassure me that her follow-up work on the PHE report published their response. Trans rights are human rights, will take into account how comorbidities and occupations and updating the GRA will help to improve the lives of affect the outcomes of coronavirus? trans people. Today the House will rise, and the Minister 2135 Oral Answers 22 JULY 2020 Oral Answers 2136 has previously stated that the Government would publish Liz Twist: Research by think-tank the Women’s Budget their response. When will she finally publish the Group shows that women are at greater risk from the Government’s response and their plans for reform? economic crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic. The current crisis is pushing more and more women, including Elizabeth Truss: As I said, we will respond to the those born in the 1950s, into poverty. What practical consultation over the summer—the Prime Minister steps will the Minister take to relieve the impact on committed to that earlier this week—and I assure the 1950s-born women, who are already disadvantaged by hon. Lady that I am very keen to get on with that the rise in the state pension age—and may I, Mr Speaker, response. declare an interest as a 1950s-born woman? Hate Crimes: South and East Asian Communities Mims Davies: The Government recognise the importance of supporting adults to effectively plan for the future. Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab): What steps the We do recognise that this is a challenging time for Government are taking to tackle the level of reported everyone, and we aim to support older workers, including hate crime against south and east Asian communities women who may be out of work because of covid-19. Through the summer Budget, the Chancellor announced during the covid-19 pandemic. [905151] a number of initiatives that will support all claimants, including older women. The hon. Lady will be aware The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the that there is a live Court of Appeal case as of yesterday, Home Department (Victoria Atkins) [V]: We have heard and I cannot comment further on this live litigation. these concerns from the police and charities, and we are working with them to ensure that police forces are Covid-19: Protection of Young Workers reassuring affected communities and encouraging reporting of hate crimes during the pandemic. The Government Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP): What are clear that there is no place for hate crime in modern steps the Government are taking to help ensure that Britain. These crimes destabilise our communities and young workers are protected during the covid-19 outbreak. there are no excuses for them. [905153] Sarah Owen [V]: A petition recently created by Viv The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work Yau has nearly 3,000 signatures already. It calls on the and Pensions (Mims Davies): We have supported people UK Government and media outlets to stop using stock to make a claim for universal credit if they have lost imagery of south-east and east Asian people when their jobs. We are strengthening our youth offer for talking about covid-19. The disproportionate use of 18 to 24-year-olds. This includes introducing a tailored images of Chinese, south-east and east Asian people in 13-week programme, new youth hubs, and DWP specialist masks during the pandemic perpetuates the notion that youth employability work coaches. Meanwhile, young all of us carry the virus, and it plays a significant role in people can be referred to apprenticeships or work-related the recent trebling of racist attacks, stereotyping and training at any stage. abuse. Will the Minister commit to working with Chris Stephens: I thank the Minister for that answer. Government and public bodies on the use of these However, Glasgow South West constituent Caitlyn Lee, images, and meet me to discuss the increase in hate who has worked for the Blythswood Square hotel for crime during the pandemic? five years, will receive only £580 in redundancy pay, which barely covers one month’s rent, because, under Victoria Atkins [V]: The perpetrators of hate crimes statutory redundancy pay law, young workers under the targeting south and east Asian communities, and others, age of 22 are entitled to half a week’s pay whereas in relation to covid-19 are being punished. We know workers over 40 get one and a half weeks’ pay. Will the from the Crown Prosecution Service that it has prosecuted Government address this discrimination, and what will a number of cases involving racist abuse on the basis of they do to mitigate the mass redundancies of young perceived Chinese ethnicity.But of course the Government workers so that they are not disadvantaged any further? are always willing to work with interested parties to ensure that we are stopping hate crime, and I would Mims Davies: I thank the hon.