HC Deb 30 March 1993 vol 222 cc118-9W
Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from 1 to 7 and overall in his Department are(a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.

Mr. Key

The numbers and percentages of women in the Department of National Heritage and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are as follows:

Grade Number of Staff Number of Women Percentage of Women
1A 1 0 0
2 — — —
3 4 1 25
4 1 0 0
5 19 7 37
6 8 3 38
7 52 9 17

We are able to identify the number of women amongst our staff from our basic staff records. As a new Department, we will not, until 1 April 1993, have complete personnel records or a personnel database covering all our staff. It is our intention to carry out an ethnic origin survey and disability survey as soon as possible after that date.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps are currently taken by his Department to monitor the effectiveness of the equal opportunities provision within the Broadcasting Act 1990.

Mr. Brooke

Channel 3 and Channel 4 licences include conditions on equal opportunities for employment. The Independent Television Commission is responsible for monitoring licence conditions.

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people respectively, in top grades of employment at his Department.

Mr. Key

Recruits to the senior grades of the Department of National Heritage, as to any grade in the civil service, are selected on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 applies. Various steps have been taken by the civil service commissioners to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community including: extending links with institutions of higher education; equal opportunities training for those involved in selection; using validated selection procedures.

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when his Department last conducted surveys of(a) the ethnic origins and (b) women among its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Key

For women, there is no need for particular surveys, as the sex of employees is identified in our basic staff records. As a new Department, we will not, until 1 April 1993, have personnel records or a personnel database covering all our staff, and it is our intention to carry out an ethnic origin survey as soon as possible after that date.