As others have said, this is an important debate. I spent 20 years working in business in the City, and I often found that for days on end I was the only woman sitting at the table during meetings. I spoke out about that to the many organisations with which I was connected.
As the Minister said, the coalition set out to change the position—that is in the coalition agreement—and it has done so. Many Members have pointed out today how important that change is to the economy. It is good for business, and, of course, it is good for women. We should focus on the incredible amount of talent that exists among women in the workplace throughout Britain, and on using their skills and experience for the benefit of the economy as well as enabling them to fulfil their own potential. Other Members, including my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma) and the hon. Member for Feltham and Heston (Seema Malhotra), have already referred to the advantages for business, and I shall not repeat their arguments. Suffice it to say that we need to use those talents, which can benefit individuals, companies and the country as a whole.
I do not believe in quotas; I believe we need business-led change based on absolute merit. My hon. Friend the Member for Esher and Walton (Mr Raab) explained very articulately why that is so important. However, I also believe that businesses should work hand in hand with the Government, who can highlight the issue—as we have today—in order to promote further progress. A great deal of good work has been done, and I congratulate the Minister and the Government on what has been achieved by Lord Davies’s report and the measures that have been introduced to help business.
We have already heard about the improvements in the FTSE 100 and 250. In the last year alone, 49% of FTSE 100 and 44% of FTSE 250 non-executive directors
have been women. That is real progress. According to the FTSE board report published by Cranfield school of management in 2012, if we maintain the current momentum, female representation on boards could be a record 26.7% by 2015 and 36.9% by 2020. The report identified some great performers. Four women are members of Diageo’s board—44% of the overall membership—while three out of eight members of the Burberry board are women, including the chief executive and chief financial officer, and 33% of Pearson’s board members are women. Some organisations are leading the field, and are already doing a great job.
The role of women in Parliament, and in politics generally, was mentioned earlier. I chair the all-party parliamentary group for women in Parliament, which is determined to change the current position. In 2010, the number of female Conservative MPs increased from 17 to 49. Of course there is more work to be done, but we have made significant inroads. In the recent reshuffle, 50% of the 2010 intake who were appointed to Government roles were women.
The solution to the remaining problems lies partly in what the Government can do to encourage female representation and partly in what can be done by those in business, such as head-hunters, nomination committees and investors. Businesses can nurture talent by encouraging and mentoring women, and by changing the organisational culture of which Members have spoken today. Chief executives should lead from the top. If they really believe in a change in the culture, and if they can drive that change through their organisations, they will make a difference. I recently organised a women on boards leadership forum in the House, and was heartened to hear Antony Jenkins, the group chief executive of Barclays, speak so passionately about what the bank has done and will do in order to make a difference. We need more people like him.
I agree with Members who have said that non-executive director roles are still an issue. As was pointed out by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Meg Munn), we must continue to increase the number of women in both executive and non-executive positions.
As for the directive, it is important for subsidiarity to be respected, and for women to be appointed on merit. This is not something on which we should receive directions from Europe; it is something that we can do ourselves, and we have made progress already.
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