HC Deb 02 March 1976 vol 906 cc584-6W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate those recommendations of the Finer Report (a) that he has implemented (b) that he intends to implement, and when, and (c) those he does not intend to implement; and if he will state the reasons.

Mr. Booth

Recommendations 178–187 of the Finer Report are devoted to employment and related matters. Not all are addressed to Government. A number of developments have taken place and these are set out below:

Recommendation 178 (rights of part-time workers).—The Employment Protection Act 1975 provides that those working for at least 16 hours a week with one employer and those employed continuously at least eight hours a week for five years or more for the same employer are protected by the contracts of employment, redundancy payments and unfair dismissals legislation.

Recommendation 179 (expanding opportunities for part-time workers).

Recommendation 180 (negotiation of agreements covering maternity leave).

These recommendations are directed at employers and trade unions. The Government as an employer, have, in the Civil Service, granted paid maternity leave and introduced, where possible and practicable, the provision of part-time work as a means of helping to combine a career with domestic circumstances. The Employment Protection Act provides that there should be statutory minimum paid maternity leave and reinstatement in the same or similar job.

Recommendation 181 (statistics in women's employment)—This recommendation has been largely met by the publication of the Department of Employment booklet "Women and Work: A Statistical Survey".

Responsibility for the issues covered by Recommendations 182 and 185 to 187 lies with the Manpower Services Commission.

Recommendation 182 (special employment advisers for women employees).—I am informed by the Commission that the specialist needs of women who have to combine care of children with employment is already recognised in the service offered to job seekers by employment advisers of the Employment Service Agency. Measures are under consideration aimed at broadening and developing the knowledge of advisers to enable them to identify more readily and to deal more effectively with particular types of problem cases.

Recommendation 185 (training needs of women employees).—I am informed by the Commission that the Training Services Agency has stressed to industrial training boards the importance of having regard to the training requirements of women employees in their industries, and the boards are now well aware of the need to review existing women's training provisions.

Recommendation 186 (increasing training opportunities for women and girls).—The Training Services Agency has recently published a report "Training Opportunities for Women", prepared at the request of the Commission, which considers the programme envisaged to be an important complement to the Equal Pay and Sex Discrimination Acts. The report outlines possible initiatives to help women, including those with family responsibilities, to improve their chances of taking up training and employment opportunities.

Recommendation 187 (publicity for the Training Opportunities Scheme).—I am informed by the Commission that widespread publicity for the training opportunities scheme is given on a continuing basis through the Training Services Agency at national and regional levels through all appropriate media.

Recommendation 183 (careers guidance for girls in secondary schools).—The questions relating to curricula in schools are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science. It has been standing policy in the Careers Service to try to improve relative career prospects for girls. Every appropriate opportunity is taken to encourage young women to consider careers traditionally taken up by men. The Sex Discrimination Act makes it unlawful for the Careers Service to discriminate in any of the services it provides.

Recommendation 184 (extension of day release facilities).—This is principally a matter of educational policy and appropriate to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.