HC Deb 05 March 1990 vol 168 cc407-8W
Mr. Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has implemented to ensure that recruitment and promotion policy in his Department does not directly or indirectly discriminate against applicants who were mature students or women returning to work following a career break due to child care.

Mr. Peter Walker

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Barking (Ms. Richardson) in July 1988.

In addition, my Department has recently introduced a holiday play scheme for the children of members of staff. The provision of nursery facilities is being considered.

Mr. Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of his Department's management training courses include sessions on equal opportunities for women; and what proportion of managers at grade six level and above working outside headquarters has received training on equal opportunities for women.

Mr. Peter Walker

The Welsh Office runs three mandatory management courses which include sessions on equal opportunities for women. In addition, and as part of its equal opportunities policy, my Department provides four women-only management courses.

Only two officers at grade six and above are employed outside Cardiff; as yet, neither has attended a training course with equal opportunities content.

Mr. Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what action he has taken, and what action he intends taking, to implement the recommendations within his area of responsibility of the European Commission's child care network report "Caring for Children—Services and Policies for Childcare and Equal Opportunities in the United Kingdom".

Mr. Grist

The report was prepared for the European Commission which has not yet developed any proposals. The Government believe that policy on child care is a matter of member states. The United Kingdom's policy is that it is for families themselves to determine how their children are to be brought up and how parents who wish to do so, can best combine paid work and family responsibilities. The Government, through the Department of Health, the Welsh Office and the ministerial group on women's issues, on which the Department is represented, has encouraged the development of a range of high quality child care options for both employers and parents.

Mr. Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what child care provision his Department provides for pre-school age children of employees; what child care provision for school holidays or after-school care is provided for employees' children aged five years or over; what plans there are for increasing provision in the next five years; and how these are to be funded.

Mr. Grist

The Department ran a holiday play scheme for school-age children of staff in Cardiff last summer and plans to do so again for the Easter and summer school holidays this year. The scheme is substantially self-financing, but it receives some financial support from the Welsh Office and the other Government Departments that make use of it.

The Welsh Office is looking into the possibility of providing nursery facilities for its Cardiff staff in conjunction with other Government Departments.

The Department does not arrange after-school care for the children of staff and has no immediate plans to do so.

Mr. Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what grade is his Department's equal opportunities officer.

Mr. Peter Walker

My Department's equal opportunities officer is a senior executive officer.

Mr. Murphy

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of civil servants in his Department are women at each of the grades(a) seven, (b) six, (c) five, (d) four, (e) three, (f) two and (g) one.

Mr. Peter Walker

The information is as follows:

Grade Percentage of Women
1 —
2 —
3 —
4 33
5 15
6 24
7 12

1. As at 1 January 1990

2. The grade categories shown include equivalent professional grades.