§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what consultations he has had with local education authorities to discuss ways of achieving the goals of the United Nations Decade for Women;
(2) what guidelines he has issued to local education authorities in order to achieve the goals of the United Nations Decade for Women.
§ Mr. BrookeThe goal of the United Nations Decade for Women which is most relevant to the education service is the achievement of equality for women. My right hon. Friend has had no recent consultations with local education authorities specifically to discuss ways of achieving this goal, but equality of opportunity has been an important theme in consultations and guidance issued in relation to policy areas where this is a relevant consideration.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with the University Grants Committee about ways of achieving the goals of the United Nations Decade for Women.
§ Mr. BrookeMy right hon. Friend has had no discussions with the University Grants Committee about the goals of the United Nations Decade for Women but he and the committee welcome the fact that the number of female undergraduate home new entrants to university has increased, as a proportion of the total, from 39.8 per cent. in 1979–80 to 41.3 per cent. in 1983–84.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has made since Her Majesty's Government answered the United Nations End of Decade for Women questionnaire to ensure that equal curricular opportunities are available to both boys and girls.
§ Mr. DunnThe Government had already made clear prior to their response to the United Nations questionnaire in February 1984 that genuinely equal curricular opportunities should be provided for boys and girls at all stages in the educational process, and have continued to support that view.