HC Deb 14 May 1984 vol 60 cc63-4W
Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the reply of 26 April, Official Report, column 596, when equal opportunities officers were designated within the Department; by whom such designation was made; and what the grades and duties of such officers are.

Mr. Pattie

A departmental equal opportunity officer was designated at principal level by the MOD's principal establishment officer in March 1984. Consideration is being given to the designation of other equal opportunity officers with responsibilities for separate parts of the Department. The terms of reference of equal opportunity officers are as follows:

Equal opportunity officers will be responsible for the full scope of equal opportunity matters as they concern sex discrimination as well as race. They will be responsible for co-ordinating the Civil Service policy of non-discrimination within the Department. They will act as inter-departmental liaison officers with the Cabinet Office (MPO). The role of equal opportunity officers will be to act as a focal point within the Department for the promulgation and monitoring of equal opportunities policies, and providing information and advice to management, individual members of staff, the departmental trades union side and the Cabinet Office (MPO).

Equal opportunity officers will not perform a dual role of advising management as well as representing staff, neither will they become a complaints officer. Complaints should continue to be pursued through the normal channels of line/personnel management and through union representatives as appropriate, if need be ultimately to the principal establishment officer and head of department. Equal opportunity officers will act as expert advisers within personnel divisions on this topic. As such management will inform officers of any complaints so that they can monitor them with a view to recommending changes in departmental policy, if necessary.

Officers will also give advice to line and personnel management to resolve complaints and will normally be present at any meeting between management and an individual but management will retain responsibility for any action to be taken including dealing with cases for industrial tribunals. Individuals will have access to officers if they want to ask for information. Officers will act in such interviews as the advisers of management and not as potential advocates of the complainant's case or referee between the individual and management. If the individual is ultimately dissatisfied with the way the complaint has been handled, he or she can refer the case to the Equal Opportunities Commission or the Commission for Racial Equality and/or can take the complaint to an industrial tribunal.

Equal opportunity officers will therefore have four main roles:

  1. (a) to monitor the present policy and give advice on its development and implementation as well as oversee the collection of statistics in accordance with national and Departmental agreements and ensure that any change of policy or improvements are implemented;
  2. (b) to be the focus in each Department providing a direct link with the Cabinet Office (MPO) including periodic meeting to compare information and to discuss problems and progress on Civil Service non-discrimination policies;
  3. (c) to have direct access to those in personnel divisions responsible for decisions to provide specialist advice on equal opportunity policy to help the decision making process and will also be able to review Departmental policy and recommend changes within the guidelines laid down by the Cabinet Office (MPO);
  4. (d) to be responsible for the dissemination of advice on policies and procedures to management as necessary and deal with any queries or suggestions arising therefrom, if requested.