MAIN CONFERENCE HALLF21 Equality and Social Justice
MAIN CONFERENCE HALL
F21 Equality and Social Justice
Conference believes that the Government has demonstrated the
shallowness of its understanding of equality and social justice,
especially the catch-22 of poverty and responsibilities in which
women, particularly those with children, are caught, by:
a) Removing lone parent benefit.
b) Threatening to reverse the independent taxation of men and
women.
c) Empty talk of introducing childcare provision without dates or
adequate funding attached.
d) Doing nothing about equal pay.
e) Failing to honour its commitment to encouraging
family-friendly work practices.
f) Leaving the new Ministry of Women with neither a budget nor a
House of Lords spokesperson.
g) Failing to acknowledge that pensions policy based primarily on
the private sector will lead to a poverty trap for millions of
women.
Conference calls on the Government to make good its election
pledge that equality and social justice would be at the heart of
all its policies, by:
1 Reversing the cut in lone parent benefit.
2 Publicly committing itself to retaining the independent
taxation of men and women.
3 Implementing a properly coordinated and adequately resourced
childcare policy.
4 Strengthening the flawed equal pay legislation.
5 Encouraging flexible working arrangements, job sharing and a
shorter average working week.
6 Ensuring the Ministry of Women has adequate funds and
representation in Parliament to ensure its effectiveness.
7 In its pensions review, making provision against further
impoverishment of women in old age.
Mover of motion: 10 minutes; other speakers: 5 minutes.
Conrad Russell - House of Lords Spokesperson on Social
Security
Lynne Featherstone - Haringey
Ramesh Dewan - Hertsmere
Susan Kramer - Twickenham and Richmond
Tim Dumper - North Cornwall
Elsa Davis - Cardif Central
David Rendel MP - Newbury - Speech
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson - Newbury
Sue Baring - Westminster
Baroness Williams of Crosby - House of Lords Spokesperson on
Foreign Affairs
Motion: Nem Con