HC Deb 08 December 1971 vol 827 cc316-7W
Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which jobs within his Department are not regarded as being suitable employment for women, and for men, respectively.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

Scottish Office posts which are not regarded as offering suitable employment for women fall broadly into the following categories:

marine staff appointments, mainly because of accommodation difficulties;

jobs involving heavy manual work or work in rigorous conditions, for example portering and bridge maintenance;

most appointments for wholly or predominantly male establishments, for example male prisons.

In common with other Government Departments the Scottish Office recruits only women to posts of Drawing Office Assistant and Tracer. Recruitment to inspectorial and other posts related specifically to work carried out by women is similarly restricted.

These arrangement will be reviewed when the National Whitley Council completes consideration of the recently published report of the Committee on Women in the Civil Service.

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of architects, engineers, doctors, and lawyers, respectively, employed within his Department; and how many of each category are women.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The Scottish Office employs 52 architects, 125 engineers, 49 doctors and 36 lawyers. These totals include, respectively, 3, nil, 4 and 5 women.

Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of administrative class civil servants in his Department; and how many of them are women.

Mr. Gordon Campbell

The Administrative Class was merged with the Executive and Clerical Classes on 1st January, 1971, to form a single Group.

There are 244 officers, including 23 women, currently employed in the Scottish Office in grades broadly corresponding with the former Administrative Class grades.