HC Deb 05 March 1990 vol 168 cc507-8W
Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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. Nicholls

All general management courses provided by the Employment Department group include sessions on equal opportunities for women and people from ethnic minority groups and with disabilities. While no detailed figures are available I understand therefore that the great majority of senior regional and operational managers will have received training on equal opportunities issues.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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. Nicholls

The Employment Department group operates two care-parent schemes for pre-school age children at Bootle and Sheffield. We run holiday play schemes for children aged five years and over at Runcorn, Sheffield, London (two) and Coventry; with other Government Departments we run play schemes at Bootle, Edinburgh and London and we have places in other Government Department schemes at Glasgow and Liverpool. We hope to open four day nurseries this year at Bootle, Runcorn, Sheffield and Swindon. All parts of the group are actively pursuing initiatives to increase child care provision. The group provides support for this where it can he justified in value for money terms. Staff who wish to take advantage of play schemes and nurseries are required to contribute towards the running costs.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

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

Mr. Nicholls

My Department's equal opportunities officer is a grade 6.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he has implemented to ensure that recruitment and promotiion 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. Nicholls

The Employment Department group is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in recruitment and promotion. A statement to this effect is included in all recruitment advertising and in all circulars notifying staff of promotion panels and inviting applications.

There are clear guidelines on the advertising of recruitment opportunities to ensure that they can be seen by all eligible job seekers from all parts of the community and to ensure that the advertisements do not impose potentially discriminatory criteria such as unnecessary age restrictions. In order to meet the needs of women returners, recruitment opportunities are, whenever practicable, advertised as suitable for part time workers. Staff involved in recruitment are trained in selection procedures to avoid unfair discrimination.

For promotion, all staff are considered on their merits as individuals regardless of sex, racial origin, disability and age. Where a minimum period of service is required this applies to all staff. For staff who have returned to work after a period of absence, service before and after the break may be aggregated.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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. Eggar

In the Employment Department group at 1 January 1990 women comprised 12 per cent. of staff at both grade seven and grade six level, 14 per cent. at grade five and 11 per cent. at grade three. There were no women at grades one, two and four.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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 childcare network report: "Caring for Children—Services and Policies for Childcare and Equal Opportunities in the United Kingdom."

Mr. Nicholls

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 for 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, where they wish to do so, can best combine paid work and family responsibilities. The Government, through the Department of Health and the ministerial group on women's issues, have encouraged the development of a range of high-quality child care options for both parents and employers.