Sex Equality Branch (Hansard, 28 June 1994)

§ 2. Mr. Bayley
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the priorities for the sex equality branch of his Department.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Miss Ann Widdecombe)
The branch works to further the Department's key objective—to promote equality of opportunity for women in the workplace and beyond.

§ Mr. Bayley
What help can the Minister offer my constituent, Mrs. Susan Craven, who was sacked by her employer Securicor after working as a cleaner at Queen Anne's school in York for eight years? She was sacked in the 34th week of her pregnancy because she was admitted to hospital with complications arising from the pregnancy. She has been offered a new job on lower pay and with no holiday or sickness entitlement. When will the Government's sex equality branch take real action to provide equal employment rights for women?

§ Miss Widdecombe
My first advice to Mrs. Craven would be to see what representations her Member of Parliament could make. I have received no representations from the hon. Gentleman that would enable me properly to investigate the case. Instead of raising the matter in the most public and superficial way, perhaps he will write to me making a proper representation so that I can then make a proper investigation.

§ Mr. Marlow
If the Equal Opportunities Commission did not exist, no Conservative Government would conceivably set it up, so will my hon. Friend get rid of it? There is enough feminist claptrap around without the taxpayer having to pay for this nauseating, sexist institution.

§ Miss Widdecombe
I must disappoint my hon. Friend. We have no plans whatever to abolish the EOC; rather, we welcome a closer working relationship with it, as evidenced by the recent fair play initiative.

§ Ms Eagle
Does the Minister agree that one of the best things that the sex equality sector of her Department could 667 do is to consider the provision of universal child care so as to allow women with responsibilities for looking after children to go out and work if they chose?

§ Miss Widdecombe
Child care provision is already increasing in just about every category. There is increasing day nursery provision, and increasing provision by registered child minders; there is also the Government's initiative to provide £45 million, through the training and enterprise councils, for after-school child care. The Government are addressing child care issues. Why do we never hear Opposition Members welcome those increases?