§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Government policies have been subject to gender impact analysis; and if the gender impact analyses are publicly available. [94504]
§ Ms JowellI have been asked to reply.
The Government are committed to ensuring their policies are fair and inclusive, of high quality and flexible. This aim is contained in guidance (published 1998) which helps Departments consider the impact of their policies on women and other groups, and is a cornerstone of the Modernising Government White Paper. It is for individual departments to consider how to make use of this guidance. There is no formal requirement to carry out a gender impact assessment for every policy or regulation, and the absence of a separate document does not mean that gender impact was ignored during policy making.
The Women's Unit in the Cabinet Office is working with the Home Office, and Department for Education and Employment to produce more comprehensive guidance for departments on equality impact assessment—to sit within the consolidated guidance described. In addition the Women's Unit is developing a framework for gender impact assessment.
The Government have introduced a wide range of policies clearly designed to meet the concerns, priorities and circumstances of women. These include the National Minimum Wage, Working Families Tax Credit and the Childcare Tax Credit, Sure Start and the National Childcare Strategy, the New Deal for Lone Parents and increases in Child Benefit. These measures help women make real choices in their lives.