HC Deb 10 December 2001 vol 376 cc593-4W
Joan Ryan

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to report on the Government's work on women and public services. [21865]

Mrs. Roche

I have today published the report "Better Services—Better Working Lives". Copies have been placed in the Vote Office, and the Libraries of the House.

This document reports back on the work undertaken to look at how health and education public services are delivered for women. We know that the proportion of women with dependent children working full-time has risen from 59 per cent. in 1991 to 65 per cent. in 2001. But women are still the people responsible for accessing services—91 per cent. of women with school age children say they normally take them to the GP and 61 per cent. take them to school.

In this publication we report back on what women have told us during a series of regional evidence gathering visits supported by a wide range of good practice examples, new research findings and recommendations for national and local action.

Copies of "Better Services—Better Working Lives" will be distributed to all the women who took part in the regional evidence gathering visits and through the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills.