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Meeting of the Parliament 14 June 2012

14 Jun 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Women’s Representation (Public Sector Boards)

Park, John Lab Mid Scotland and Fife Watch on SPTV

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. We have had several interesting speeches, particularly from Jenny Marra, who mentioned the international aspects, which we all agree are important. For me, the issue is about more than gender equality, as there is a clear business case for increasing the number of women in decision-making positions in Scotland, not just in the public sector, but in boardrooms in the private sector. The debate is also about how we create the conditions for women to have the skills and experience that Annabel Goldie spoke about so that they can take those into decision-making positions. That is one of the issues that we need to address. We have to think not only about quotas, but about how we support women in the workplace in non-traditional industries to gather skills and experience and then make a difference.

That highlights the real issue. The debate is not just about the glass ceiling that people talk about a lot; it is about the sticky floor that affects many women. Women have to face issues to do with bringing up a family. Many expectations are placed on them and they face a lot of challenges in life, in the workplace and elsewhere, which they have to balance. Frankly, men do not have to face those issues. As well as considering quotas, we need to address those issues.

Work by the Fawcett Society has produced some key figures that show that the case for more women in senior positions in the boardroom in the public and private sectors is undeniable. Women are estimated to be responsible for about 70 per cent of household purchasing power; they make up 46 per cent of the economically active workforce; and they provide more than half of university graduates. Companies with more women on their boards have been found to outperform their rivals, with a 42 per cent higher return in sales, a 66 per cent higher return on invested capital and a 53 per cent higher return on equity. The facts and figures exist to back up the proposal. It is the right thing to do not only to ensure that we have equality, but to ensure that we have better business practice in the boardroom.

I appreciate the warm words in the Scottish Government’s amendment. There is nothing in it with which we in the Labour Party can disagree, but a consensus is building, particularly outside the Parliament, that we need to take more radical steps and action to address the issues. The world is changing and people are asking questions about the orthodoxies that have been in the workplace and industry for many years. In this debate, we are asking serious questions about what we have always accepted as the norm.

John Wilson made a point about political representation. If it was not for the fact that the Labour Party took direct action in 1999, including through our selection processes for the regional list, it is unlikely that Jenny Marra and Kezia Dugdale would be sitting on our front bench today talking about the issue. Regardless of members’ political persuasion, that shows that such decisions can work.

09:48

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Meeting of the Parliament 14 June 2012

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