HC Deb 25 February 1992 vol 204 cc466-9W
Mr. William Ross

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the number of vacancies filled in each of the education and library board headquarters, in each of the last available three years, the number of applications received by each board in each of those years, and the number of complaints made under the fair employment legislation in respect of those posts in each year and the number of such complaints which went to a tribunal; how many went to court; what amount of compensation was paid; and how many are still ongoing.

Dr. Mawhinney

The information requested is as follows:

number of applications received by the Executive for those posts in each year and the number of complaints made under the fair employment legislation in respect of those posts in each year and the number of such complaints which went to a tribunal; how many went to court; what sums were paid in compensation; and how many are still ongoing.

Mr. Needham

The information available is as follows:

1990 1991
Number of vacancies filled 588 131
Number of applications received 7,000 4,500

I am advised by the chairman of the Housing Executive that there were no complaints in 1989 or 1991. In 1990 four complaints were taken to the Fair Employment Commission which is still considering them.

98. Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the rate collection agency to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment legislation and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

Mr. Needham

The rate collection agency has no responsibility for the appointment of its staff. All permanent appointments to the agency are made by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland which has a full-time equal opportunities officer in its employment.

The recruitment of casual staff by the agency is monitored centrally by the equal opportunities unit of the Department of Finance and Personnel.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what steps have been taken by the area education and library boards to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments;

(2) what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the area education and library boards are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1988.

Dr. Mawhinney

Following the publication of an equal opportunities policy statement in 1989, committing the boards to the principle of equality of opportunity, each board established an equal opportunties unit, in January 1990, to comply with its statutory obligations.

This policy statement is emphasised within the overall training programme for board members, officers of the boards, school governors and members of governing bodies of institutions of further education, including training for membership of selection panels for recruitment and promotion purposes. A guidance memorandum has been issued by the boards to all boards of governors, together with a distance learning package, providing advice on all matters relating to equality of opportunity for persons both employed and seeking employment.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

Mr. Needham

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by its chairman that the executive has implemented a number of steps to ensure that the fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

An equal opportunities unit was established in 1989 and its staff are trained in the legislation relating to fair employment and sex discrimination. The unit is responsible for monitoring the impact of personnel policies, including recruitment, throughout the organisation and has developed equal opportunities polices in respect of sex, religion and disability. The application of policies which have been approved by the board of the Executive and agreed with the staff trade union, NIPSA, is monitored by the unit.

The unit has also organised several seminars to ensure that staff are aware of the policies and that they are implemented effectively.

The Executive has also set up an equality working group, which is comprised of a wide spectrum of Executive staff from across the Province, and participates in the employers equality group which has representatives from some of the major employers in the Province.

Mr. McCrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by each district council to appoint equality officers to ensure that fair employment and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

Mr. Needham

District councils are employers in their own right and it is a matter, therefore, for each council to ensure that it complies with the statutory requirements of the fair employment and sex discrimination legislation.

I understand, however, that every council, in recognition of the importance of the requirements, has allocated responsibility for monitoring equality of opportunity to an officer at chief officer level.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the Northern Ireland Tourist Board are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.

Mr. Needham

Fair employment and sex discrimination legislation are emphasised in training programmes for all board staff likely to be involved in selection interviewing. In advance of selection interviews panel members receive written guidance on good practice and are fully briefed on their responsibilities.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the rate collection agency are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.

Mr. Needham

The Rate Collection Agency does not at present have responsibility for the convening of interview panels to fill posts within the agency. All full-time appointments to the agency are made by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland and where recruitment of such staff is involved this is undertaken by recruitment branch of the Department of Finance and Personnel.

In so far as recruitment for casual employment is concerned this is undertaken by the agency's own staff by way of interview panels normally consisting of two persons. Only those staff who have received training in recruitment interviewing by the Department of the Environment's training branch are eligible to sit on such panels. This training includes briefing on employment legislation in Northern Ireland.

Promotion to higher grades is also presently the responsibility of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. All agency staff who meet the eligibility criteria for promotion are entitled to be considered and all promotion panels are set up by the Department of the Environment in accordance with established civil service procedures.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination Order (Northern Ireland) 1988.

Mr. Needham

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by its chairman that all staff involved in interviewing either internal or external candidates for posts in the executive must complete a three-day training course. The course contains specific elements relating to equal opportunities issues including fair employment and sex discrimination legislation. Participants are given an overview of the legislation, its purpose and the need for monitoring, together with illustration of types of direct and indirect discriminatory practices.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure that persons involved in interview panels in district councils are adequately briefed about employment legislation to ensure equality under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989 and the Sex Discrimination (NI) Order 1988.

Mr. Needham

Under section 40 of the Local Government Act (NI) 1972 the Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland is responsible for establishing a code of procedure for securing fair and equal consideration of applications to district councils by persons seeking to be employed by them.

The staff commission has established an equality of opportunity working group to review the equality of opportunity policies and practices of district councils. It is anticipated that the staff commission will produce a code of practice on recruitment and selection in May this year for adoption by all councils. The code will require all those involved in interview panels to be properly trained on all aspects of fair employment and sex discrimination legislation. Training will be undertaken by the staff commission and the Public Service Training Council.

Mr. McGrady

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to appoint equality officers who will ensure that fair employment legislation and sex discrimination legislation is being adhered to in relation to all staff appointments.

Mr. Needham

The responsibilities of the board's personnel manager include those of equality officer.