HC Deb 04 May 1995 vol 259 cc258-9W
Ms Eagle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress has been made within his Department on equal opportunities matters. [21491]

Mr. John M. Taylor

The Lord Chancellor's Department has an equal opportunities policy statement in place. To support this, the Department has three separate action plans to achieve equality of opportunity for people of ethnic minority origin, for women and men and for disabled people. These action plans are regularly monitored and any necessary corrective action is taken to ensure that the policy is properly implemented.

Ms Eagle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress he hopes to achieve in his Department over the next three months to push forwards the declaration signed in October 1994 at the Vienna conference in preparation for the fourth UN conference on women; and if he will incorporate a section on equal opportunities in his Department's annual report. [21493]

Mr. John M. Taylor

The Government are committed to the principles set out in the regional platform for action agreed at the preparatory conference in Vienna for the fourth UN world conference on women. We have taken these forward through a wide range of programmes and initiatives and will continue to do so. Our Department's annual report already incorporates a section on equal opportunities. We shall continue to cover equality issues in our annual report.

Ms. Eagle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which Minister has responsibility for equal opportunity issues. [21490]

Mr. John M. Taylor

I am the Minister who has responsibility for equal opportunities within the Lord Chancellor's Department.

Ms Eagle

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish the gender assessment being prepared by his Department. [21492]

Mr. John M. Taylor

This Department's policy, in line with guidance issued in 1992 by the ministerial group on women's issues, is that policy proposals should ensure that unlawful or unjustifiable race or sex discrimination does not occur and that similar principles should apply to people with disabilities.