HC Deb 27 June 1988 vol 136 cc135-7W
Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent women have been underrepresented in the higher grades of his Department; what measures he has taken to reduce that under-representation; when such measures were taken; and what results they have produced.

Mr. Ridley

About one third of the administative staff in my Department at executive office level and above are women but the proportion reduces in the higher grades. Measures taken to reduce under-representation over the last few years include advertising opportunities for part-time working, job-sharing and career breaks; women-only development training; encouragement of women to become promotion and recruitment board members; and participating in a central training review and promotion monitoring projects.

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent black and Asian staff have been under-represented in his Department; what measures he has taken to reduce that under-representation; when such measures were taken; and what results they have produced.

Mr. Ridley

The Department completed its staff-in-post ethnic origin survey in March 1988. Analysis of that survey and the recruitment monitoring survey which began in July 1987 is being carried out to see whether, and if so where, under-representation occurs. Measures already taken during 1987 and 1988 to reduce possible under-representation include using the ethnic minority press for advertising local vacancies; participating in feature articles to publicise the Department's work; taking part in schools liaison; using inner-city job centres and other outreach work; and participating in a central training review and promotion monitoring projects.

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring exercises he has carried out in accordance with the codes of the Equal Opportunities Commission and of the Commission for Racial Equality, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ridley

My Department has carried out monitoring exercises in the area of part-time working and job-sharing; reinstatement; special leave; selection for training; recruitment; and the ethnic origin of staff.

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advertisements he has placed in the ethnic minority press; when; and with what results.

Mr. Ridley

My Department does not maintain a central record of recruitment advertising. For those campaigns for which details are readily available, the results were as follows:

Campaign date Newspaper Applications mentioning the newspaper Total applications
September 1987 The Voice 155 859
Garavi Gujarat 17
April 1988 The Gleaner 22 66

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has appointed an equal opportunities officer; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Ridley

I have appointed two equal opportunity officers, one for the Property Services Agency and one who serves the rest of my Department and the Department of Transport.

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what percentage of officers in each grade and overall in his Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

Mr. Ridley

Numbers and percentages of women are as follows, as at 31 May 1988:

Grade band Number per cent.
1 to 4 6 7
5 18 9
6 19 5
7 119 8
8 and 9 662 10
10 946 15
11 and 12 5,552 68
TOTAL 7,292 31

Numbers and percentages of ethnic minority staff are available, as at 31 March 1988, only for those staff who have responded to the voluntary monitoring surveys. Figures are as follows:

Grade Number per cent.
1 to 6 8 1½
7 17 1½
8 41 2
9 81 3
10 171 4
11 282 9
12 177 8
TOTAL 777 3½

Mr. Janner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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.

Mr. Ridley

The policy of equal opportunities is well established. Specific steps include publicity for the Government policy statements on the subject; the appointment of equal opportunities officers; provision for part-time working and job-sharing; special leave arrangements for maternity, domestic and other reasons; conduct of surveys of ethnic origin; management and special skills training courses for women; and measures to reduce the risk of discrimination in recruitment and promotion procedures.