HL Deb 11 January 1999 vol 596 cc22-3WA
Lord Selkirk of Douglas

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they have taken to reduce the number of Non-Departmental Public Bodies in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL277]

The Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)

Public Bodies 1998, which was published on 15 December 1998, shows that the number of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) at 1 April 1998 has fallen by 55 over the previous year. Copies of Public Bodies 1998 have been placed in both Libraries of the House. The Government will maintain the downward pressure on the number of NDPBs. It will ensure that a new NDPB is created only where it can be demonstrated that this is the most cost-effective and appropriate means of carrying out the given function. The Government are also undertaking a rolling programme of rigorous financial management and policy reviews of NDPBs every five years. These reviews examine the need for the continued existence of the NDPB in question.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the justification for their policy to encourage mothers with young children to take paid employment rather than look after their children, given the high level of unemployment among young men. [HL251]

The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)

The Government recognise that all parents, both men and women, face the challenge of balancing work with their family responsibilities. Our policy is to provide choice for all parents, especially mothers, since they often bear the major responsibility for childcare and ensuring that children get the best possible start in life. Through our National Childcare Strategy we will ensure that good quality, affordable childcare is available for children aged 0–14 in every neighbourhood. This will offer equal opportunities for parents as they make choices about work, training or education and help them to manage work and family life. We are promoting family friendly employment practices which also help parents fit their working arrangements more easily around other responsibilities.

Our New Deals for Young People and Lone Parents provide help for both young men and women. Our commitment to equal opportunities means that we would not discriminate between sexes on job opportunities. The New Deal for Young People was launched nationally on 6 April 1998 and offers support, training and work experience for young people to get into employment. By September 1998, 167,400 people had joined the New Deal for Young People of which 120,600 (76 per cent.) are young men.

We set up the New Deal for Lone Parents to help them move out of benefit dependency and into employment and opportunity. This is a voluntary programme available to all lone parents and it offers individual tailored help and advice on job-search, training, childcare, in-work benefits and financial support and in-work support through a personal advisor.