Gender Balance on Corporate Boards

My hon. Friend makes a good point. A number of objections have been raised, and that adds to them...

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way so early in his speech. Has he received any document...

So would I. The right hon. Gentleman makes an important point that is not in today’s document. Th...

I recognise this as an important issue and I recognise also that the number of women on boards ha...

We are discussing it because the EU has put forward a proposal. Whether we think it is right that...

Will my hon. Friend give way?

May I make a little progress? I shall come to some of these points in detail.

The Governmen...

I very much welcome what the Minister is saying and the issues he is describing. Will he say some...

It is true that progress has been slower in executive appointments, but it is also true that wher...

Has my hon. Friend come to any conclusion about why the Labour party failed so dismally to achiev...

I have not specifically done any research into that, but it is certainly true that since 2010 the...

I hope the Minister will agree that the message needs to come from the Government themselves. I h...

Yes, I do agree, but these things have to be done on merit. As it happens, later this month I am ...

We all agree that this should be business led, but can the Government block this or will it go th...

I will come to the point that, under the principles of subsidiarity in the Lisbon treaty, should ...

One way of making progress on this is through the voluntary approach, but Lord Davies has made it...

For the purposes of today’s debate, the Government are arguing that this does not pass the EU’s s...

I thank the Minister for being so generous in giving way. I wholly support what he has said and t...

It might be that this debate and the decision of Parliament that will follow will be brought to t...

The Minister said—I have some sympathy with this view—that if we can succeed without legislation,...

We have had a report on this. There are constant reports—for instance, I commend to the hon. Lady...

Before I discuss the substance of the motion, it is important to make three brief observations fo...

I welcome my hon. Friend’s mea culpa in respect of the previous Labour Government. Does he know w...

I think that some of the things that my right hon. Friend has just mentioned may have contributed...

The hon. Gentleman mentions the 25% figure, but that is an absolute figure. He should also point ...

I do not disagree. As I said, I do not think that the progress in this country towards achieving ...

rose—

Order. This is a time-limited debate, and the Question will be put no later than 6.43 pm, so if M...

As you say, Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a time-limited debate, so I will keep my remarks fairly br...

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his appointment as vice-chairman of the Conservative party w...

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his comments; let me come to that point shortly.

I am ...

I welcome this debate and thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak. We know tha...

The draft directive is unprincipled and counterproductive. It needs to be understood in the conte...

I have read the hon. Gentleman’s contributions on this topic, and I see that the headline to his ...

I note that the hon. Gentleman did not take issue with the substance of my article—[Interruption....

Will the hon. Gentleman clarify what he meant when he said that the measure to increase diversity...

If the hon. Lady will just have an iota of patience, I will come to the empirical evidence for th...

rose—

I will not give way, as I am conscious that others wish to speak and I have already given way to ...

Before I move on to my substantive point, which will be brief, I have to correct the statement of...

rose—

Order. I regret to say that we are a little short of time, so, in order to ensure that every Memb...

As others have said, this is an important debate. I spent 20 years working in business in the Cit...

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. As the Minister will know, I am a member of the...

The hon. Lady said that companies that are more diverse grow more quickly and that there is evide...

A persistent group of people will always resist change if they can. Despite the good track record...

The first question for consideration in this reasoned opinion debate is, in a nutshell, whether t...

I refer Members to my declaration in the register of Members’ interests.

This really is a d...

Does my hon. Friend agree that the Women’s Business Council, set up by the Government, and the ex...

I think it will help, and I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s work on this issue since entering the...

With the leave of the House, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will respond briefly to all the points raise...