Baroness Morgan of Huyton: There has been extensive research into the reasons for women's under-representation in politics and the Government are currently considering whether they need to commission further work. The most recent study was published by the Equal Opportunities Commission in August 2001, entitled Women in Parliament: a comparative analysis. This concluded that the use of positive measures was the...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Government are aware of a variety of methods used by other member states to increase the representation of women in parliament. Both the Constitution Unit at University College London and the Equal Opportunities Commission have produced work that highlights methods. The Minister for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has today introduced legislation so that the principle of...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Government are aware that women's representation in both the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament is significantly higher than in the House of Commons because of positive measures used in these elections by certain political parties. The Government have introduced legislation today in the other place to enable parties to use positive measures to seek to reduce inequality between numbers...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Minister for Transport, Local Government and the Regions announced legislation to reduce the inequality in the numbers of women and men elected in the other place today. The Bill proposes to exclude from the operation of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 positive measures political parties may take to reduce inequality in the numbers of men and women elected when selecting candidates....
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: We are committed to introducing a duty on public bodies to promote sex equality when parliamentary time allows.
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: I am responsible for co-ordination on the Article 13 Employment Directive and its implementation with respect to age, religion and sexual orientation, reporting to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. I am also responsible for wider policy on sexual orientation discrimination. Policy on age, except for the Article 13 Employment Directive, is with the Department for Work and Pensions...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: Ministerial responsibilities are set out in The List of Ministerial Responsibilities published by the Cabinet Office.
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: On 26 June 2001, the Cabinet Office published a report on the results of a Civil Service-wide survey of the opinions of staff on diversity and equal opportunities issues, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Overall, this showed that opinion generally did not differ significantly as a result of sexuality across the broad range of issues covered by the survey, but...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, I join other noble Lords in thanking the noble Baroness, Lady Thomas of Walliswood, for securing the debate this evening on the subject of women's representation. We have had an excellent debate and, given the constraints of time, I shall endeavour to reply to as many noble Lords as time permits and beyond that, if noble Lords will permit it, I shall write to them. I take this...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions each have responsibility for specific aspects of equality policy. Co-ordination of equality issues will be handled by a Cabinet Committee.
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Government intend that any measures introduced to promote equality of opportunty between men and women will be compliant with the United Kingdom's international obligations.
