§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has carried out any monitoring exercises in accordance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively, other than by using ethnic monitoring in sample recruitment surveys; and if he make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldYes. All staff on our training courses are now asked to complete an ethnic monitoring questionnaire on a voluntary basis.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the sample recruitment surveys were carried out to measure the number of white and ethnic minority applicants and to identify significant variations in their success rates throughout the competition; and with what results.
§ Mrs. RumboldWe began to monitor our recruitment in July 1987. We do this continuously, not on a sample basis. It is planned to compile and analyse the information on an annual basis.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is using sex monitoring in sample recruitment surveys to measure the number of women applicants and to identify significant variations in their success rates throughout the competition; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldWe do not use sex monitoring in sample recruitment surveys and have no plans to do so.
635W
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when his Department last reviewed its range of employment practices in the light of Civil Service policies on equal opportunities; and what that review revealed concerning past inequalities in employment practices in his Department;
(2) how many and what percentage of officers in each grade and overall in his Department are (a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively;
(3) what steps he has taken to ensure that there is equality of opportunity for women and for people from ethnic minorities in all grades of his Department, in connection with employment, training and promotion, respectively.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Department keeps its employment practices under continuing review in the light of developing Civil Service policies on equal opportunities. The numbers and proportion of women in the Department at 1 May 1988 were
Percentage Grades 1 to 7 156 23 Higher and Senior Executive Officer 135 39 Executive Officer 203 53 Administrative Officer and below 881 78 Overall 1,375 54 The proportion of women in posts in DES compares favourably with the Civil Service as a whole; we have sought to improve their position further by measures such as the introduction of "keeping in touch" arrangements to provide reinstatement opportunities for staff in all grades who resign for domestic or associated health reasons and wish to return to work within five years. We have also provided equal opportunities training, including women-only development courses. The Department's Darlington office has had a flexible working hours system since 1976.
The Department does not hold information on the ethnic origin of all its staff. Of those who had responded to a recent ethnic origins survey by 1 May 1988, those from ethnic minorities were
Grades Number Per cent. 1 to 7 10 11.7 HEO and SEO 7 22.6 Executive Officer 21 6.9 AO and below 118 15.1 Overall 156 8.1 1 of respondents in those grades. 2 of respondents. The Department monitors the recruitment of ethnic minority staff in direct recruitment grades (administrative officer and below). Applicants who do not have the minimum academic qualifications can take a short answer test.
A number of in-house training courses aimed specifically at women are available, including assertiveness training and management training for women. There are also courses in equal opportunities awareness and equal opportunity sessions on other courses. Staff on training courses are now asked to complete an ethnic monitoring questionnaire on a voluntary basis. An anti-racism training film package is used as part of induction courses for all new staff.
636WGuidance on equal opportunity matters is included in training courses for members of promotion boards. Where possible, boards are constituted so as to include women members. Over the next year, a sample DES promotion board will be monitored for the purpose of identifying the progress of ethnic minority candidates.
§ Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has appointed an equal opportunities officer; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldYes. An equal opportunities officer for the Department was first appointed in 1984. A separate equal opportunities officer for our Darlington branch was appointed in 1986.