HC Deb 27 July 1999 vol 336 cc191-2W
Jackie Ballard

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he has established a baseline for policy appraisal against which to measure progress on equal treatment. [93457]

Ms Hodge

As part of the Government's commitment to ensuring that their policies are relevant to the lives that people live today, my Department is working closely with the Women's Unit and the Home Office to develop good practices for ensuring that our policies meet the changing needs of all members of society.

"Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment guidelines", published by the Home Office, Women's Unit, and DfEE in November, has been circulated to all Departments to ensure that the effects of any policy changes on all sections of the population are considered at the earliest stage of policy development. My Department has underpinned the guidelines with more specific advice to all policy makers on how to consider the needs and requirements of different groups.