HC Deb 05 March 1990 vol 168 cc480-1W
Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts 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. Luce

Specific training sessions about equality of opportunity for women, ethnic minorities and the disabled are included in all the internal residential management training courses undertaken by managers in my Department. Emphasis is also given to equality of opportunity when training managers to carry out staff appraisal, selection and promotion interviewing. The one female member of staff at grade 6 outside headquarters has not yet attended a course as specified.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts 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. Luce

My Department does not yet provide nursery facilities for the use of its staff, but they have access to a local holiday play scheme financed by parental and departmental contributions.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts what grade is his Department's equal opportunities officer.

Mr. Luce

My Department is served by the Cabinet Office equal opportunities officer who is a grade seven.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts 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. Luce

In my Department there are no age limits on recruitment although we expect recruits to give a reasonable period of service before retirement. Candidates without the usual academic qualifications may take a short answer test. Promotion is solely on the basis of merit. We have lowered our seniority requirements to bring them into line with the national standard and previous service counts for seniority purposes after a career break.

Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of civil servants in his Department are women at each of grades seven, six, five, four, three, two and one, respectively.

Mr. Luce

In my Department the proportion of civil servants in each grade who are women, is as follows:

  • Grade 1—Not applicable
  • 2—Nil
  • 3—Not applicable
  • 4—Not applicable
  • 5–25 per cent.
  • 6–100 per cent.
  • 7–27 per cent.

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