§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the main needs of women in the policy areas within the sphere of his Department's activities; what has been done to identify and quantify these needs and to monitor services delivery; what consultation is carried out with women to ensure their views are adequately represented; and what training is given to his staff to raise their appreciation of the needs of women.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Government consider that in the employment field the main need of both women and men is the creation of new jobs. The Department of Employment's activities are directed to achieving this through deregulation and the development of the enterprise economy. Women as well as men have benefited from the employment, training and enterprise measures offered by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission, on which we have already spent in excess of £10 billion since 1979.
The Government nevertheless recognise that women have in the past been disadvantaged in the labour market and in consequence have special employment needs. Our equal opportunities polices are designed to address those needs and are described in detail in "The Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women—A Review". This document was published in April 1987 and a copy has been placed in the Library.
We are fully apprised of women's views through the normal process of consultation and through our regular contacts with the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Women's National Commission and women's voluntary organisations. The Advisory Committee on Women's Employment exists to advise Employment Ministers on all aspects of our policies affecting women in the labour market, and my Department is also represented on the interdepartmental ministerial group on women's issues.
Training for staff at all levels within the Department of Employment group incorporates coverage of equal opportunities. Some courses have separate modules which specifically concentrate on the equal opportunities dimension, for example, a course for MSC "field" staff who have day-to-day responsibility for running programmes. This training ensures that staff fully understand the group's equal opportunities policy and the practical implications of that policy for the provision of services and for the group as employer.