Women's Unit (Hansard, 4 February 2002)

§ Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Minister for Women what budgetary provision has been made for the cost of the Women's Unit in the first financial year of its existence. [33057]

§ Ms Hewitt
The Women's Unit was created in 1998. Its budget for the first financial year of its existence (1998–99) was £1,111,897. The unit was renamed the Women and Equality Unit following last year's general election in order to recognise its new policy responsibilities across the United Kingdom for gender equality, co-ordination of sexual orientation policy and its sponsorship of the Equal Opportunities commission.

§ Annabelle Ewing
To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on how the responsibilities of the Women's Unit differ from the responsibilities of the departmental Ministers for Women. [33122]

§ Ms Hewitt
In my role as Minister for Women and supported by the Women and Equality Unit, I work closely with Cabinet colleagues, other Government Departments and Number 10 in order to ensure that the Government can bring about practical improvements to women's lives that benefit society as a whole. There are no Ministers for Women assigned to individual Government Departments.