HC Deb 05 March 1990 vol 168 cc394-6W
Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many(a) boys and (b) girls there are in single sex and religious schools.

Mr. Alan Howarth

The number of boys and girls in maintained single sex and religious schools in England is as follows:

Great Britain: Full-lime university academic staff 1988–89
Men Women Total
Professors 4,252 137 4,389
Readers/Senior lecturers 8,357 765 9,122
Lecturers 21,792 5,768 27,560
Other grades 3,089 2,122 5,211
Total 37,490 8,792 46,282

Source: USR staff record.

Information on the gender of polytechnic lecturers is not available centrally.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science 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.

Mrs. Rumbold

Sessions on equal opportunities are included in all the Department's management training courses. There are two managers at grade six or above outside headquarters: both have received some equal opportunities training.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many research grants were given to(a) women and (b) men in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Jackson

This information is not available. Most Department of Education and Science research grants are placed with research institutes rather than individuals. The research councils are responsible for the allocation of research grants within their areas.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what child-care provision his Department provides for pre-school children of the employees; what child-care provision for school holidays and after school care is provided for employees' children aged five years and over; what plans he has to improve provision in the next five years; and how these will be funded.

Mrs. Rumbold

The Department has not yet provided child-care facilities for either the pre-school or school aged children of its employees; it has however contributed to the Westminster holiday play scheme. Currently consideration is being given to the provision of creche facilities and a holiday play scheme at the Darlington office. In London the Department is participating in an interdepartmental study of the scope for providing creches centrally and in commuting areas. Provided that the schemes can be justified as good value for money the Department could contribute to both the capital and running costs.

Ms. Armstrong

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

Mrs. Rumbold

Senior executive officer.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the number of women in senior academic positions.

Mr. Jackson

The recruitment and promotion of staff is a matter for individual institutions.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science 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.

Mrs. Rumbold

The percentage of women in each grade requested is as follows:

Grade Per cent.
7 25
6 23
5 21
4 25
1–3 0

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has plans to ensure that local education authorities' development programmes for further education provision will provide child-care facilities which allow (a) parents and (b) mothers to attend colleges, further education institutes, polytechnics and universities.

Mr. Jackson

No. Under the arrangements for local management of colleges provision of child-care facilities will normally be a matter for the governing bodies of institutions to determine.