§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the total number of staff employed by his Department are women; how many of them are employed on a part-time basis; and how many are not eligible for an occupational pension.
§ Mr. MajorAs at 1 January 1986 it is estimated that just over 63 per cent. of the Department's staff were women. It is further estimated 3,880 women were employed on a part-time basis on the same date. Most, if not all of them, work 15 hours a week or more and are therefore within the scope of the occupational pension scheme. The exact figure is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Precise figures on the number of women employed are collected annually and are available in May of each year.