§ 11. Sir Anthony Meyerasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many part-time employees there are in his Department; and what information he has about the numbers in other organisations in Wales for which he is answerable.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsOn 1 December 1984 there were 121 part-time employees in my Department. Comparable information in respect of other organisations in Wales for which I am answerable is not held centrally.
§ Sir Anthony MeyerI can well understand that my right hon. Friend is not in a position to provide any figures, but, as we are unlikely to get back to full industrial employment, is there not now a case for gaining further acceptance of the idea of part-time employment as a preferable alternative to total idleness? Would it not be a good idea for the Government to give a lead in this matter?
§ Mr. EdwardsWhile not necessarily accepting my hon. Friend's premise, I can assure him that my Department will give sympathetic consideration to all reasonable requests for part-time work. The Government are consulting the Civil Service unions about the guidance that should be given on the provision of viable schemes — for example, the day-care of the children of civil servants. We are developing along these lines and are sympathetic to the point made by my hon. Friend.