§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Prime Minister if she will state the terms of reference, the current membership, and the criteria for membership for the ministerial group on women's issues; and if she will indicate the issues that this group has recently dealt with.
§ The Prime MinisterThe ministerial group was established in 1986 to provide a co-ordinated examination274W of policy issues of special concern to women, and with a particular duty to consider the Government's response to the forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women (adopted during the United Nations decade for women).
The group is chaired by the Home Office Minister of State with special responsibility for equal opportunities, my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold). The vice-chairman is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security, my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mrs. Shephard), who is also co-chairman of the Women's National Commission. Other members attend on the basis of their departmental responsibilities for matters within the remit of the group.
The group has recently:
- —reviewed the Government's policy in areas covered by the forward looking strategies;
- —issued guidance designed to ensure that civil servants recognise the equal opportunities implications of policy proposals;
- —taken steps to increase the number of women appointed to public bodies;
- —drawn up two 5-point plans to improve the range and quality of child care options;
- —developed a package of initiatives aimed at tackling domestic violence;
- —among the issues the group are now discussing the problems faced by those caring for elderly or disabled relatives.