§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which women's organisations have been consulted on proposed legislation by her Department during the(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 parliamentary Sessions; and if their responses have been published; [42902]
(2) if she will list the subject of each gender impact assessment drawn up by her Department since June 1997, indicating in each case whether the outcome has been (a) put out to consultation and (b) published; [42900]
(3) what new data series broken down by gender, race, disability and age have been commissioned by her Department since August 1997. [42901]
§ Ms HewittThe Department is undertaking a wide range of work looking at gender issues in particular sectors of the Department's business. We have commissioned research, consulted widely and published the outcomes on issues such as work and parents, flexible working, the national minimum wage, employment tribunals, women's employment and pay, work-life balance, fixed-term work, women entrepreneurs and issues surrounding women in science and IT.
My Department regularly consults with the Office for National Statistics and other government departments ensuring that data series provided by regular surveys such as the Labour Force Survey (LFS) provide us with opportunities for analyses by gender, race, disability and age. For example, we have recently published an analysis of women's scientific employment, also broken down by age (available on www2.set4women.gov.uk/set4women/ return/feedback.htm). In addition, services such as Business Link routinely capture detailed client characteristics, including gender and ethnicity.
My Department's policy is to consult widely and appropriately on its proposed legislation, using a variety of methods targeted to reach different stakeholders and audiences, including women's organisations. For example, we involved the Equal Opportunities Commission and Parents at Work in the Work and Parents Taskforce (which reported last year) as well as business and the trades unions.