§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures his Department has taken to encourage the promotion of women into senior positions within the Scottish Office and its executive agencies.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythMy Department and its executive agencies are committed to equality of opportunity for all its enployees. Women represent 45 per cent. of non-industrial staff in the Scottish Office, excluding the Scottish Prison Service.
The proportion of women is increasing at all management levels—at executive officer level—the first management level—up from 26 per cent. in 1987 to 42 per cent. in 1995. At higher executive officer level, the proportion of women has risen from 19 per cent. in 1987 to 30 per cent. in 1995. This is an important breakthrough for the future. The proportion of women at the top is rising steadily as more and more women's careers develop. At grade 3 the proportion of women is currently 16 per cent. a fourfold increase on 1987.
Part-time work operates in the Scottish Office as elsewhere. Since 1990 the number of part-time staff has risen to 326 to 390—over 15 per cent. of all women now work part-time. Part-time work is an option for all staff—some individuals in all grades up to grade 3 work part-time, 47 per cent. of grade 5s work part-time.
The Scottish Office, in common with other civil service Departments, has set a clear benchmark against which to measure progress; that, by the year 2000, 15 per cent. of top Scottish Office posts grades 1 to 3 are expected to be held by women.
Recruitment and promotion are on merit. Recruits to the senior grades as to any grade in the civil service, are selected on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service Order 1991 applies.
My Department had made considerable progress on equal opportunities for women. Its initiatives have been based on the 1984 and 1992 report on equality of opportunity in the civil service.
Details of these initiatives can be found in the following Cabinet Office publications:
Equal Opportunities for Women in the Civil Service —10 Year Progress Report 1984–94.Annual Progress Reports on Equal Opportunities for Women in the Civil Service 1992–93