two airports. By the time the M25 was completed it was in urgent need of upgrading and widening. The same will be true of our runway capacity”


Smith: “This will be a purely political decision, so I doubt we can have any impact.”


... and gender pay-gap legislation coming into force this April


Chris Smith


Gender pay reporting legislation takes effect from Apri 5, requiring employers with 250 or more employees to publish statutory calculations every year showing how large the pay gap is between their male and female employees.


According to Daff Richardson and Gemma Woodhouse at Penningtons Manches, businesses will need to publish the mean and median hourly pay gap between men and women. They must also report the annual mean bonus gap (which includes commission) and publish the numbers of men and women in each quartile pay band. The regulations have clarified what a ‘quartile’ is and include steps to follow to put employees into each band.


Jon Stradling


Continuing as an individual global player would be hard, and he could see the UK dropping out of the G8. “If the EU survives another decade – and I’d only give this a 50:50 probability – I think it highly likely that the UK will want back into the fold, unless Scotland breaks away first.”


* This month Tectona is producing an Entrepreneur’s Guide on best practice in managing currency risks.


We also asked our contributors about Heathrow’s expansion ... still effectively being on a stacking flight-path


Brooker: “This has been dragging on far too long. There’s no doubt we need to increase our southeast airport capacity. The longer it takes to agree how we accomplish this only adds to the uncertain business environment.


“With the UK about to leave the EU, the Government must make sure there are no infrastructure barriers to discourage companies from doing business in the UK.


“It is important that a final decision is made as quickly as possible so that work can get started.


“Thames Valley businesses should make sure that regional and national organisations such as the local enterprise partnerships, the CBI, and Chambers of Commerce, plus their local MPs, know their views on the matter and continue to put pressure on the Government to take action.”


Blagden: “This has to be led by a lobby of the largest employers investors and taxpayers, so as to get the right attention.”


Nicholls agreed: “The Thames Valley community can’t afford not to get behind airport expansion. It really is a matter of publicising our views, lobbying our local councils, MPs and ministers to make sure critical infrastructure projects are not kicked into the long grass by other distractions such as Brexit.


Nicholls felt the Government should “bite the bullet and do both Heathrow and Gatwick.


“It makes good business sense for the nation to build extra runways now. Otherwise, it will be like the M25, which ironically connects the


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – APRIL 2017


The final regulations use a broad definition of employee. Many self-employed workers engaged as consultants, independent contractors and partners including LLP members may therefore be caught. This means many more employers are likely to come within the regulations as these workers will count towards the 250-employee threshold.


There is no specific enforcement mechanism, but the data must also be submitted to the secretary of state and industry league tables may be created, leading to naming and shaming. If you have not already done so, now is the time to produce a gender pay report to highlight – and if possible correct – any areas of difficulty before the report has to be published.


Brooker felt gender pay-gap (GPG) reporting, seen by some as an additional burden, was actually a positive step.


“The need to publish this data will put gender pay equality firmly on business agendas and highlight where inequalities occur.”


He countered corporate concerns that GPG data might be used adversely by unions or employee groups and required within public- sector tender processes, by highlighting that GPG disclosure could also enhance company reputations, bolster employee morale, and provide a competitive edge for recruiting and retaining staff.


Nicholls suggested pay gaps were “closing glacially”. He felt transparent GPG reporting was beneficial and ‘UK plc’ should be aiming for “comparable worth”. But, he queried if the extra business administrative burden was justified.


“It’s hard enough running a small business without another potential banana skin like this, which may not achieve the required outcomes. I can’t help thinking this could be too much of an intrusion of politics into the management of private businesses.”


Smith doubted the new GPG legislation would achieve anything positive. “In fact, I think it will do more harm than good and will eventually be dropped.


“Reporting of pay levels only leads to further discontent through lack of understanding of how businesses are structured and the different roles genders undertake.”


Blagden felt GPG reporting would make little difference, although pay equalisation could impact staffing levels. There was little pay variance or discrimination at professional levels, he believed, although men were more demanding. “If there are sectors with disparities, the law of economics will play its part.”


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