§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many female applicants there have been for senior science posts in the public service, Government Departments, agencies and the research councils at civil service grades 3, 4 and 5 and above in the period 1 January 1993 to 18 January 1994; how many female appointments have been made to these grades, by grade; and what assessment he has made as to the consistency of these figures with the policy outlined in the White Paper "Realising our Potential;"
(2) how many females have been appointed to grade 3 science posts in Government Departments, agencies and the research councils in the past 12 months; and what steps the Chancellor will be making to encourage the appointment of women to these senior posts following the publication of the White Paper. "Realising our Potential".
§ Mr. WaldegraveOver the last 12 months, there have been six senior science posts—grade 5 and above—within the civil service advertised through open competition and 10 such posts within the research councils.
For the six posts filled through open competition, there were 21 female applicants—out of a total of 317—none of whom were successful. For the 10 research council posts, there were only two female applicants, and again neither was successful.
For the 12 months to the end of September 1993, there were 24 senior science posts at grades 3, 4 or 5 filled by internal appointees; no females were appointed. In December, Mrs. Helen Williams was appointed to a grade 3 post as head of the Transdepartmental S and T group in the Office of Science and Technology—OST.
The White Paper on science, engineering and technology describes women as the country's biggest single most under-valued and therefore under-used human resource. The Office of Science and Technology will shortly be publishing a report by an independent working group of eminent scientists on how to make greater use of the talents of women in science, engineering and technology.
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