§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity if she will now take steps to ratify the International Labour Organisation Conventions 100 and 111 which deal respectively with equal pay for men and women and equal opportunities in employment in view of the fact that this is the International Year for Human Rights.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe Government fully accept the principle of equal pay. An inquiry into the costs of equal pay in co-operation with the C.B.I. and T.U.C. is now in progress with a view to the preparation of a phased programme for implementing equal pay. The Government is not at present in a position to ratify either Convention.