§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those initiatives of his Department 400W which have been of benefit to women, since 1979, the cost or estimated cost of these initiatives, and the proportion of the total budget of his Department this represents.
§ Mr. MooreThere has long been a policy of equal opportunities for women in my Department. In addition, there have since 1979 been a number of initiatives benefiting women, managed jointly with the Department of the Environment (including the PSA). These include:
- — measures to reduce the risk of discrimination in recruitment and promotion procedures;
- — management and special skills training courses for women;
- —provision for part-time working and job-sharing;
- — more favourable reinstatement provision for those who have resigned;
- — special leave arrangements for maternity, domestic and other reasons;
- —progressive introduction of flexible working hours;
- —establishing an equal opportunities unit.
The costs of these and other relevant initiatives are not centrally recorded.