Written questions by Sullivan.

What plans she has to enact Section 106 of the Equality Act 2010.

The Government is committed to commencing section 106 of the Equality Act 2010, requiring registered political parties to publish anonymised data relating to the diversity of their candidate selections in accordance with regulations.Office for Equality and Opportunity officials are currently exploring when and how to commence the provision under section 106.Careful consideration needs to be given to how it might be implemented, the necessary supporting regulations and whether any phasing might be needed in implementation.We will engage with stakeholders, including political parties, in due course.

What steps she is taking to ensure that (a) regulations and (b) guidance for the Employment Rights Bill will require relevant employers to consider whether people with menstrual health conditions are adequately supported by workplace equality action plans.

We recognise the impact that many different conditions related to menstruation can have on a woman’s ability to perform at her best; introducing action plans will encourage steps that benefit women with these conditions. Crucially, we believe that plans will open up space to have broader discussions about women’s health in the workplace. In formulating action plans, and accompanying guidance, we will recognise that there are actions that can help people in a range of circumstances. Officials have been engaging with employers as well as a range of organisations in the women’s health space, including those looking specifically at menstrual conditions, as part of policy development. They will continue to do so as the work progresses, and when devising supporting guidance.

When she expects the Equality and Human Rights Commission to publish the final version of its Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, following the Supreme Court’s judgment of 16 April 2025 in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers.

On 20 May, the EHRC opened its consultation on the changes made to the draft updated statutory Code of Practice following the Supreme Court ruling. This consultation is open until 30 June.We will consider the EHRC's final draft Code of Practice once it has been submitted and engage with them to ensure it provides the clarity service providers need, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.Once the final draft is agreed, we will follow the correct parliamentary process.

Whether she plans to (a) enact section 106 of the Equality Act 2010 and (b) take steps to improve gender representation in candidates for (i) local and (ii) devolved elections ahead of those elections.

I am proud that progress is being made, with 40% of MPs now women, but we want to see this replicated at all levels of Government. Last summer my Ministerial colleague Bridget Philipson met with members of 50:50 Parliament, where they discussed the importance of gender equality in parliament and the barriers that women can face. The government is committed to commencing the Equality Act 2010’s provision requiring registered political parties to publish anonymised data relating to the diversity of their candidate selections. We are currently exploring when to commence the section 106 provisions. We believe that every party has a duty to demonstrate greater progress towards better representation of the population that they seek to serve.