Equality and Diversity

I welcome today's debate and the varied contributions that have been made. The members who have spoken so far have articulated the scale of the problem that faces our society and have highlighted the range of inequalities that still need to be tackled. Recently, I have been glad to support Patrick Harvie's proposed member's bill on hate crime and Shirley-Anne Somerville's motion supporting the women's coalition's statement of intent, each of which, in its own way, sets out to tackle important areas of inequality.

In the brief time that I have this afternoon, I want to focus on gender inequality-perhaps it is just as well that Mr Rumbles has left the chamber. There is still great gender inequality in Scotland. Men are still paid more than women, thousands of pregnant workers are treated unfairly and thousands of women are sexually harassed at work every year. Although half of us want to work more flexible hours, many of us are denied that. One woman in five faces domestic abuse, conviction rates for rape are at an all-time low and power is still mostly held by men. We will not fix that this afternoon.

In 1975, when the Equal Pay Act 1970 came into force and the Sex Discrimination Bill was passed, I was a student at university. I remember the sense of excitement and the feeling that things were really going to change. Now, more than 30 years on, with my own daughter at university, I have a growing sense of disbelief at the lack of progress. My daughter and her friends face many of the inequalities that my friends and I faced in the 1970s. As the Equal Opportunities Commission said in its final report, there is an "unfinished revolution".

In 2028, we will mark the centenary of the Equal Franchise Act 1928, which was passed on 2 July 1928 and gave women the vote on equal terms with men. The Fawcett Society is campaigning to ensure that equality comes of age in the next 21 years. I commend its equal votes, equal power campaign, which seeks to close the gaps between women and men in access to power, money and justice. However, surely we must not wait another 21 years-another generation, with my granddaughter at university-before women gain real equality. The Fawcett Society says that the 21-year target reflects the scale of the current equality gap. At the current rate of change, it will take 200 years to achieve equal representation of women and men in the Westminster Parliament, although we have a better record here, as Marlyn Glen pointed out. It will take 40 years to achieve an equal number of senior women in the judiciary, 60 years to achieve an equal number of female directors of FTSE 100 companies, 80 years before the full-time pay gap closes and 140 years before the part-time gap closes.

We must still mind the gap-the UK has the biggest pay gap of all European Union countries. Women working part time earn on average 36 per cent less an hour than men working full time. Women working full time earn on average 17 per cent less an hour than men working full time. That is a disgrace. As Unison says, it is the equivalent of men getting paid all year and women working for free from 30 October. The problem affects us throughout our lives, because lower pay means that women also face a pensions gap-their retirement income is 53 per cent of men's.

Although I know that there is a need to tackle all inequalities, I am concerned about the umbrella nature of the new Equality and Human Rights Commission. There is the potential for a loss of focus on gender equality issues. The Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland's final report outlined the changes that are needed here to bring about greater equality and which should be used as the blueprint for action. Gender equality is not just good for individuals-it is good for business and for social well-being. Equal Opportunities Scotland said:

"Change is about doing what makes sense for our social health and financial wealth, as well as doing what is right. Whilst our own lives are made more difficult by these inequalities, Scotland will also lose out economically if we don't tackle them. A country that doesn't use its full potential by channelling women into low paid work, forcing families to struggle to cope and losing the skills of those who cannot work and care will fall behind."

I note that the Government has increased the budget for equalities, but what will it do to ensure that the money is properly targeted and effective? The UK still works longer hours than other developed countries and has a culture that views the hours that someone puts in being a measure of a person's commitment to their job. Our long-hours working culture means that those who want to balance work and home life find it hard to get on in the workplace and can face discrimination. That is despite the fact that there is clear evidence that, when an employer offers flexibility in respect of working hours, everyone-female employees, male employees and the employer-benefits. In such circumstances, men get to spend more time with their families, which is important as we know that seven out of 10 dads are concerned that they do not spend enough time with their families. For women, greater sharing of caring and work enables them to thrive in the workplace. Furthermore, employers who implement such policies report higher morale, lower turnover of staff and greater productivity.

We need practical measures to ensure that everyone can benefit from such flexible working. Why is it that, in 2007, having children or becoming a carer means economic inequality for women? Why is it that flexible working is not available in all types of work, including senior roles? Why is it that pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment and other forms of workplace discrimination are not yet eliminated? Until we transform Scotland's workplaces, our choices will remain limited. Men and women will not be able to lead family lives in a way that works for them, older women will continue to be less independent than men and our country will become less productive.

The problem is not with the limits that people have but with the limits that society places on them. We need action now and society needs to catch up. We need to close the income gap, give better support to families, modernise public services and work to deliver equal power. The EOC has spoken of an "unfinished revolution". I call on the Government to do all that it can to help complete that revolution.