§ 23. Valerie Davey (Bristol, West)What steps are being taken to ensure equal career opportunities for women in the Government legal service. [117754]
§ The Solicitor-GeneralThe Government legal service takes very seriously the issue of equal career opportunities for women. The head of the GLS is personally leading work by a group of lawyers, drawn from across the service, who will examine its contribution to the modernising Government agenda. That, of course, includes diversity issues. The service supports and encourages different working patterns; another working group is looking specifically at such practices so as to increase the opportunities for lawyers to work part-time, to job-share or to work at home. The Treasury Solicitor's department has recently introduced a mentoring scheme for all its lawyers; under that scheme, women in senior posts are available to provide advice and encouragement to their more junior colleagues.
§ Valerie DaveyI welcome that response. May I press my hon. and learned Friend to tell us how many women have been appointed to the Government legal service and, more particularly, to senior posts?
§ The Solicitor-GeneralJust under 50 per cent. of the Government legal service is composed of women, and just over a quarter of staff in the senior civil service are women. The record in the Government legal service is therefore quite good, but we should not be complacent. Underachievement in recruiting women to higher posts can be explained historically, and in part by the attitude of the previous Government. We take gender and diversity seriously, and that is changing the impression of service in government. As Ministers, we have pressed the Government legal service to do as much as possible. Sixty per cent. of recruits to the service are women, and with time, that will have a profound effect on the numbers appointed to senior posts.