HC Deb 19 July 1995 vol 263 cc1375-6W
Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) the number of (i) male and (ii) female employees, (b) the number of officials employed at each of the principal grades and the numbers and percentages of women employed at these grades and (c) the numbers of staff employed at administrative grades and the number and percentages of these staff that are women, in his Department and for each of its executive agencies for each year since.1985. [35687]

Mr. Arbuthnot

The information is not available in the form requested, but details for each year from 1985 to 1994, by grade and gender for the Department as a whole, including its executive agencies, can be found in table 5 of "Civil Service Statistics", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Details for 1995 will be published later this year.

Mr. Donohoe

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department has taken to encourage the promotion of women into senior positions within his Department and its executive agencies. [35669]

Mr. Arbuthnot

My Department is committed to equality of opportunity for all its employees, and the vigorous application of our equal opportunities policy in such areas as recruitment, career development and promotion has resulted in some progress in promoting women into senior positions.

A range of measures aimed at improving the position is in place, and plans to develop these further and to introduce new initiatives are included in an annual action plan.

Separate action plans are produced by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and the Meterological Office.