§ Ms. QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of his Department's management training courses include sessions on equal opportunities for women; and what proportion of managers at grade six level and above working outside headquarters has received training on equal opportunities for women.
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 5 March 1990]: All my Department's management training courses, including those courses specific to women, deal with equal opportunities issues.
Staff are also able to attend a separate training course on equal opportunities, and are guided by my Department's policy statement and programme of action on equality of opportunity for women.
We do not have the figures available on the proportion of managers at grade six level and above who have received formal training on equal opportunities issues, but all have received guidance.
§ Ms. QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of employees; what child care provision for school holidays or after-school care is provided for employees' children aged five years or over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 5 March 1990]: The DTI is considering arrangements for workplace child care for pre-school age children. We are, for example, giving strong financial support to an OMCS-led child care study considering the feasibility of interdepartmental nurseries in both central and outer London.
In conjunction with other Government Departments we organise holiday play schemes for five to 12-year-old children in London and Cardiff. Future provision will depend on the outcome of the OMCS-led study, and on other discussions.
Child care schemes are funded by the users. However, my Department expects to contribute to the start-up costs, and to provide ongoing financial support to running costs where this offers value for money and can be contained within departmental running costs.
§ Ms. QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grade is his Department's equal opportunities officer.
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 5 March 1990]: My Department's equal opportunities officer is a grade seven.
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§ Ms. QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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. Forth[holding answer 5 March 1990]: Our recruitment and promotion policy and procedures are monitored regularly to ensure that they operate equitably for all groups of staff. My Department's equal opportunities officer is involved in that monitoring.
With women returners in mind, my Department is about to embark on a trial recruitment exercise for clerical staff in the Westminster area. Women will also benefit from a career break scheme including a definite right of return which my Department will be introducing shortly.
§ Ms. QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of civil servants in his Department are women at each of the grades(a) seven, (b) six, (c) five, (d) four, (e) three, (f) two and (g) one.
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 5 March 1990] The proportions as at 26 February 1990 were:
Per cent G1 0 G2 11 G3 4 G4 11 G5 12 G6 8 G7 12