Dear Secretary of State,

I am writing in response to the government’s recent announcement of employer action plans on the gender pay gap and menopause support, published ahead of International Women’s Day 2026. I welcome the recognition that women’s experiences at work continue to be shaped by structural inequalities, and I strongly support the aim of ensuring that women can thrive across all stages of their working lives.

Encouraging large employers to publish action plans represents an important shift from transparency alone towards practical action. This is a positive step that signals an intention not only to identify inequalities, but to address them.

However, I am writing to urge the government to consider how these commitments might also apply to workers employed indirectly through publicly funded supply chains. While I welcome the Employment Rights Act 2025, gaps remain in the protection of individuals in “bogus self-employment” arrangements, such as public service interpreters, who are the focus of my PhD research at the University of Leeds.

A substantial proportion of work funded through public expenditure is carried out by individuals employed through outsourced contracts. These workers often perform essential roles in healthcare, courts, education, facilities management, social care, and other public services. Many of these occupations are disproportionately undertaken by women and are frequently characterised by lower pay, limited progression opportunities, and reduced visibility in equality reporting.

Based on my research and correspondence with ministers, there appears to be limited systematic oversight of pay structures and working conditions within outsourced contracts funded by taxpayers. For example, correspondence with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, indicated that government departments do not routinely monitor pay levels within contracted services, even where public funding ultimately supports those roles. Similarly, a statement by the Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman, to the House of Lords Public Services Committee in relation to court interpreting suggested that remuneration levels are expected to be determined primarily by “the market”.

While market mechanisms play an important role in public procurement, the absence of consistent transparency expectations across supply chains risks weakening the overall effectiveness of policies designed to address gender inequality at work. If public policy aims to reduce structural barriers affecting women’s pay, progression, and retention, it is important that these objectives are reflected not only in direct employment, but also across the wider workforce supported through public contracts.

In my research on inequality among public service interpreters, 62% of the 54 participants reported that their earnings were insufficient to meet basic living needs. None of the respondents felt that their work was secure, despite high levels of qualification and extensive experience. Among participants, 24% held an undergraduate degree, 61% a Master’s degree, and 6% a PhD. Many reported being paid extremely low rates, around 18 to 20 pence per minute of work, and only for the time spent actively interpreting. Taken together, these conditions may reasonably be understood as indicative of structural exploitation within publicly funded outsourcing arrangements. Participants expressed the hope that improved governance of outsourcing and procurement processes would enable them to earn a sustainable living from their work.

The findings from my study align with evidence documented in academic and institutional research, as well as issues highlighted in the recent BBC documentary “Bogus Self-Employment: Who Pays the Price?”.

Extending action plan principles to major government suppliers could help ensure consistency between policy ambition and implementation. Possible approaches could include encouraging or requiring large contractors delivering publicly funded services to publish information on pay structures, equality measures, and support for health-related workplace needs, including menopause. Such measures could help reinforce a level playing field and strengthen confidence that public funds support fair and inclusive working environments.

I would therefore welcome clarification as to whether the government intends to develop guidance or expectations regarding equality action plans within publicly funded supply chains, and whether future frameworks might encourage greater transparency in relation to pay and working conditions among major contractors.

Strengthening alignment between equality policy and procurement practice could reinforce the government’s leadership on workplace inclusion and help ensure that progress benefits the full range of workers whose labour supports public services.

Thank you for your consideration of this contribution. I hope it may be useful as policy in this area continues to develop.

Yours sincerely,
Fardous Bahbouh

About the author
Fardous Bahbouh is a Researcher and Consultant specializing in Labour Rights, Public Policy, and the Political Economy of the Translation Industry.