Four reports published by the Hansard Society between 1996 and 2012 followed up the 1990 report of the Hansard Society Commission on Women at the Top. The follow-up reports presented updated data on women’s representation in politics and other fields, reviewed progress on the Commission’s original recommendations, and made proposals for further reforms.

The Hansard Society Commission on Women at the Top reported in 1990.

We published four follow-up reports, respectively six, 10, 15 and 22 years after the Commission reported.

Our first follow-up report, by Professor Susan McRae and published in March 1996 (not available electronically), and our 2000 report, Cracking the public sector glass ceiling, by Karen Ross, investigated the extent to which representation of women at senior levels had advanced since the Commission reported, and the extent to which the Commission’s recommendations had been implemented. Presenting updated data, both reports found that women’s representation had increased in many areas but that attitudes impeding women’s progress at senior levels often remained stubborn.

Our 2005 follow-up report, Changing Numbers, Changing Politics?, by Dr Sarah Childs, Professor Joni Lovenduski and Dr Rosie Campbell, focused on women’s representation in the political sphere, examining practices and outcomes through the lens of the 2005 general election in particular. As well as presenting updated data on women’s representation in electoral politics and Parliament, this report extended the analysis to consider the substantive effects of women’s increased political presence. The report made wide-ranging recommendations to parties, government and Parliament on ways of encouraging greater political representation of women. The report also included a section comparing women’s political representation internationally, and featured an Afterword by Meg Munn MP, then-Deputy Minister for Women and Equality.

Our 2012 report, Politics and public life in the UK, presented updated data on women’s political representation, taking into account not only the effects of the 2010 UK general election at Westminster but also the situation in the devolved legislatures and national and local government.

The 2012 report was also able to take account of the 2008-2010 Speaker’s Conference on Parliamentary Representation, the establishment of which had been a recommendation of the original Hansard Society Commission report in 1990. However, in 2012 our report noted that at that time “most of the Speaker’s Conference report” had still to be acted on.

Banner image: ‘Leader of the Opposition speaks to new Members’, by UK Parliament.

Enjoy reading this? Please consider sharing it

Latest

House of Lords
events

House of Lords Speaker Hustings 2021

The Hansard Society hosted two online hustings for the candidates in the 2021 Lord Speaker election. The first event, on 25 March, was chaired by the BBC’s parliamentary correspondent Mark D’Arcy; and the second, on 13 April, was chaired by Jackie Ashley, former political correspondent and broadcaster.

House of Lords Speaker Hustings 2021
UK Houses of Parliament surrounded by scaffolding
blog / 13.03.21

Groundhog Day for Restoration and Renewal after the Strategic Review: There is still no alternative

The Strategic Review of the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal programme has been published, after 10 months’ work – but political factors mean that implementation of the programme’s main conclusion, that there will be a ‘full decant’ from the building while work takes place, remains in doubt.

Groundhog Day for Restoration and Renewal after the Strategic Review: There is still no alternative
The Chancellor with the Budget box in front of 11 Downing Street before heading to the House of Commons to deliver the Budget, 11 March 2020 (© HM Treasury)
publications / guides / 2021

Financial Scrutiny: the Budget

In order to raise income, the government needs to obtain approval from Parliament for its taxation plans. The Budget process is the means by which the House of Commons considers the government’s plans to impose ‘charges on the people’ and its assessment of the wider state of the economy.

Financial Scrutiny: the Budget
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak MP at the Despatch Box in the House of Commons, 8 July 2020 (©UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor)
publications / guides / 2021

Financial Scrutiny: the Finance Bill

The Finance Bill enacts the government’s Budget provisions – its income-raising proposals and detailed tax changes. Parliament’s scrutiny and authorisation of these taxation plans are crucial in holding the government to account – between elections – for the money it raises and spends.

Financial Scrutiny: the Finance Bill
Lord David Frost
blog / 19.02.21

Lord Frost appointment raises parliamentary scrutiny questions

Lord Frost’s appointment as Minister of State in the Cabinet Office to lead on UK-EU relations brings some welcome clarity about future government arrangements in this area. However, it also raises challenges for parliamentary scrutiny, above all with respect to his status as a Member of the House of Lords.

Lord Frost appointment raises parliamentary scrutiny questions
A table tennis match
blog / 13.02.21

Ping-pong and packaging

There was controversy on 9 February over whether the government had used procedural trickery to swerve a backbench rebellion in the House of Commons on a clause inserted in the Trade Bill by the House of Lords. Apparently, it was something to do with ‘packaging’. What does that mean, and was it true? The answer is all about ‘ping-pong’.

Ping-pong and packaging
Prev
Next