Equal Pay/Closing the Gender Pay Gap
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) uses the median as its headline pay gap statistic. ASHE shows a Scottish pay gap of 5.8% in 2011, down from 7.4% in 2010 (comparing the hourly earnings of full-time male and female workers, excluding overtime).
The Scottish Government, and its partners, have historically used the average (or mean) figure. This gives a full-time pay gap of 10.7% in 2011, down from 12.0% in 2010.
We believe that the mean better represents the nature of the gender pay gap. Median figures underplay the fact that there are a few extremely high earning staff, most of whom are men, and that many women are clustered in the lowest paid professions. Furthermore, international comparisons use the mean.
However, understanding the gender pay gap is complex. For example, the majority of employees working part-time are women and most part-time jobs are low paid.
In order to understand the complexities fully, a range of measures need to be taken into account. This is why the Office of National Statistics now present pay gap figures separately (both mean and median) for full time, part time and all employees, rather than a single headline measure.
The long term trend indicates that the gender pay gap will continue to reduce at a slow rate.
Although the power to legislate about equal pay is reserved to the Westminster Parliament, the Scottish Government continues to work in partnership with a range of organisations representing employers and employees, to support the Close the Gap campaign which was launched in March 2001.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about the pay gap between women and men in Scotland and encourage activity to close the gap, such as employers carrying out equal pay audits or reviews.
The Scottish Government's Gender Equality Scheme 2008-2011 set out its 10 high level objectives for delivering on gender equality. These included objectives on equal pay and on occupational segregation, the latter being one of the main contributors to the pay gap and a Ministerial priority for advancing equality between women and men.
Scottish Government's progress on these issues (and the other gender equality objectives) can be found in the
Gender Equality Scheme Annual Report 2009
Gender Equality Scheme Annual Report 2010
Gender Equality Scheme Annual Report 2011
As required by the Gender Equality Duty, the Scottish Government published its equal pay statement in September 2007, which it reviewed/reported on for the first time in 2010.
In April 2011, the gender equality duty was replaced by the new single equality duty in the Equality Act 2010. The new duty does not require publication of a scheme.
Equal Pay Questionnaire
Do you think you may not be receiving equal pay?
Would you like help to establish whether this is the case e.g. by determining what key information to request from your employer?
If so, the Government Equalities Office's Equal Pay Questionnaire can help.
Further Information