Carol Vorderman ‘disgusted’ by women’s minister’s absence from menopause hearing

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Carol Vorderman said she is “absolutely disgusted” by the words and actions of two Government ministers as the television presenter appeared before MPs to discuss menopause and the workplace. The former Countdown star said Women’s Minister Maria Caulfield could not “be bothered to turn up” having refused to appear before the Women and Equalities Committee. I was disgusted to be perfectly honest, by both of them, absolutely disgusted.” Mariella Frostrup, chair of Menopause Mandate, suggested the Government could be “meno-washing” rather than taking real action on menopause and women’s rights as she also accused Ms Caulfield of not bothering to turn up She referred to having been to companies, given talks about menopause and heard about the policies they have in place but then speaking to female employees who told her “it’s all lies, they’re doing nothing”. We don't need actually a women's health ambassador or an HRT tsar or a menopause ambassador if we just had equal treatment Mariella Frostrup She added: “They’ll appoint any number of tsars and ambassadors and you name it, but actually really we’re not a minority interest, we’re 52% of the population, we don’t need actually a women’s health ambassador or an HRT tsar or a menopause ambassador if we just had equal treatment.” She told MPs Ms Caulfield’s absence “suggests to me that the Government is paying lip service to it, is perhaps meno-washing themselves, just like the companies that I’ve visited where women complain about it”.