My Lords, I rise a little diffidently from these Benches, as they remain—currently at least—a male preserve. I can think of a number of members of the female sex in this House who might well grace the Benches with distinction and, as the debate goes on, I occasionally think that...

My Lords, I rise a little diffidently from these Benches, as they remain—currently at least—a male preserve. I can think of a number of members of the female sex in this House who might well grace the Benches with distinction and, as the debate goes on, I occasionally think that...

My Lords, it is a great honour and privilege to follow the noble Lord, Lord Stern, on his magnificent maiden speech and to be able to congratulate him on behalf of the whole House. When I was handed his biography this morning, at first glance I thought that he and...

My Lords, it is a great honour and privilege to follow the noble Lord, Lord Stern, on his magnificent maiden speech and to be able to congratulate him on behalf of the whole House. When I was handed his biography this morning, at first glance I thought that he and...

My Lords, I echo the welcome given by the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, to the introduction of this debate by the noble Baroness, Lady Gould. Let me claim a little credit for these Benches: today was our debates day, but we readily ceded it for such a good and worthy...

My Lords, I echo the welcome given by the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, to the introduction of this debate by the noble Baroness, Lady Gould. Let me claim a little credit for these Benches: today was our debates day, but we readily ceded it for such a good and worthy...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, on initiating the debate. She and I are both—I hope that she does not mind my saying so—tribal politicians and I respect her greatly for that. However, a debate such as this will, I am sure, show how much...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, on initiating the debate. She and I are both—I hope that she does not mind my saying so—tribal politicians and I respect her greatly for that. However, a debate such as this will, I am sure, show how much...

rose to call attention to the impact of Government policy on the lives of women and girls, and their priorities for the future; and to move for Papers. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, once again we have the opportunity to commemorate International Women’s Day, and I thank the Labour...

rose to call attention to the impact of Government policy on the lives of women and girls, and their priorities for the future; and to move for Papers. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, once again we have the opportunity to commemorate International Women’s Day, and I thank the Labour...

My Lords, there were more women holding elected office in Norfolk in 1900 than in 1980. I am cheating a bit because there were more elective offices in 1900 but, in a period when social class often counted for more than gender, the wives and daughters of squires and vicars...

My Lords, there were more women holding elected office in Norfolk in 1900 than in 1980. I am cheating a bit because there were more elective offices in 1900 but, in a period when social class often counted for more than gender, the wives and daughters of squires and vicars...

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, has made it her responsibility to secure this debate once a year for some years now and her formidable experience in this area makes her the ideal leader of our debate today. Her speech was a real tour d’horizon—a diplomatic phrase, for those...

My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, has made it her responsibility to secure this debate once a year for some years now and her formidable experience in this area makes her the ideal leader of our debate today. Her speech was a real tour d’horizon—a diplomatic phrase, for those...

You also called her ““the noble Lord””.

You also called her ““the noble Lord””.

She is not a noble Lord, my Lords; she is a most well regarded noble Baroness. I apologise to her immediately from a grovelling position for having said such a silly thing. I have not taken up all my time, but there are still many interesting speeches to be heard....

She is not a noble Lord, my Lords; she is a most well regarded noble Baroness. I apologise to her immediately from a grovelling position for having said such a silly thing. I have not taken up all my time, but there are still many interesting speeches to be heard....

My Lords, I join noble Lords in sending my congratulations to the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, on securing this timely debate. I also join in congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Stern of Brentford, and the noble Baroness, Lady Afshar, on their eloquent maiden speeches. I support my noble friend Lord...

My Lords, I join noble Lords in sending my congratulations to the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, on securing this timely debate. I also join in congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Stern of Brentford, and the noble Baroness, Lady Afshar, on their eloquent maiden speeches. I support my noble friend Lord...

My Lords, I too thank my noble friend Lady Gould for once again securing this debate to mark International Women’s Day. I believe it is the fifth year in succession that she has been successful. I thank her for it. According to the UK Resource Centre, half a million women...

My Lords, I too thank my noble friend Lady Gould for once again securing this debate to mark International Women’s Day. I believe it is the fifth year in succession that she has been successful. I thank her for it. According to the UK Resource Centre, half a million women...

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, on introducing this debate with such clarity and good humour. With so many speakers, it would appear that everything has been said. I believe that the suffragettes, wherever they are, are smiling down on this debate because so...

My Lords, I too congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, on introducing this debate with such clarity and good humour. With so many speakers, it would appear that everything has been said. I believe that the suffragettes, wherever they are, are smiling down on this debate because so...

My Lords, I, too, want to fasten on to the issue of equal pay. I was inspired to do so and informed by attending the launch of the TUC women’s archive on the struggle for equal pay, which took place just over a week ago. My noble friend indicated in...

My Lords, I, too, want to fasten on to the issue of equal pay. I was inspired to do so and informed by attending the launch of the TUC women’s archive on the struggle for equal pay, which took place just over a week ago. My noble friend indicated in...

My Lords, as one of the males here, I rise to my feet to speak in this debate slightly nervously: you feel like you are treading on someone else’s territory. However, I realise that I should not feel like that. When I was dealing with disability issues for all those...

My Lords, as one of the males here, I rise to my feet to speak in this debate slightly nervously: you feel like you are treading on someone else’s territory. However, I realise that I should not feel like that. When I was dealing with disability issues for all those...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend Lady Gould on initiating this debate on this appropriate day. We who are speaking are all grateful to her for giving us this opportunity to speak of women's lives and what has been accomplished for women and for their future. I am...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend Lady Gould on initiating this debate on this appropriate day. We who are speaking are all grateful to her for giving us this opportunity to speak of women's lives and what has been accomplished for women and for their future. I am...

My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, for securing this important debate. Last year, my starting point was that we had made considerable advancement in terms of the membership of women in your Lordships’ House. I mentioned at the time that my only regret was...

My Lords, I add my thanks to the noble Baroness, Lady Gould, for securing this important debate. Last year, my starting point was that we had made considerable advancement in terms of the membership of women in your Lordships’ House. I mentioned at the time that my only regret was...

My Lords, it is a great honour and privilege to follow the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Afshar. She brings an enormous amount to this House. She has tremendous knowledge of cultural diversity and its effect upon women and has an enormous amount to teach us. I look...

My Lords, it is a great honour and privilege to follow the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Afshar. She brings an enormous amount to this House. She has tremendous knowledge of cultural diversity and its effect upon women and has an enormous amount to teach us. I look...

My Lords, in 1975, when the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts came into force, I was working as a the women’s rights officer for the then National Council for Civil Liberties and had the privilege to be involved in bringing some of the earliest test cases under the new...

My Lords, in 1975, when the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts came into force, I was working as a the women’s rights officer for the then National Council for Civil Liberties and had the privilege to be involved in bringing some of the earliest test cases under the new...

My Lords, I join other noble Lords in thanking the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, for arranging this debate. The noble Baroness has already outlined the range of important anniversaries we reach this year, particularly, of course, our own 50th anniversary and the hugely important equal opportunity landmark 90...

My Lords, I join other noble Lords in thanking the noble Baroness, Lady Gould of Potternewton, for arranging this debate. The noble Baroness has already outlined the range of important anniversaries we reach this year, particularly, of course, our own 50th anniversary and the hugely important equal opportunity landmark 90...

My Lords, I join an already long line in congratulating my noble friend Lady Gould on initiating this debate and on the elegant and passionate nature of her opening address. I, too, welcome—even though he is not in his place—the noble Lord, Lord Stern, to the House of Lords. He...

My Lords, I join an already long line in congratulating my noble friend Lady Gould on initiating this debate and on the elegant and passionate nature of her opening address. I, too, welcome—even though he is not in his place—the noble Lord, Lord Stern, to the House of Lords. He...