§ Ms. RichardsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures he has implemented to ensure that recruitment and promotion policy in his Department does not directly or indirectly discriminate against applicants who were mature students or women returning to work following a career break due to child care.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe criteria against which recruits are evaluated are designed not to discriminate, either directly or indirectly, against mature students or women returning to work-for example, advertisements do not contain upper age limits, and do mention returning to work and our flexible approach to hours of working and provision484W for part-time working. Promotion within the Department is on merit, although in some cases a minimum seniority is required. It is the practice for the chairman of a promotion board to evaluate its decisions, at the various stages, to ensure that equal opportunity policies are being implemented.