§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonInformation about the action taken in relation to women's needs by the Department of my right hon. and learned Friend was published in April 1987 in the review of the Nairobi forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women, copies of which have been placed in the Library. Government Departments, including that of my right hon. and learned friend, consult and are consulted by organisations representative of the interests of Scottish women, for example, in correspondence and through participation in seminars. In line with other Government Departments, the Scottish Office gives training to its staff on equal opportunity matters, including the importance of guarding against prejudicial assumptions about the skills and expectations of women on promotion or recruitment boards and in assessing staff performance.