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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to encourage employers to provide support for women in the science, engineering and technology sector. [180067] Ms Hewitt: My Department has awarded a contract to the JIVE Consortium to deliver a new Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). The formal launch of the Centre will be at a Conference on 16 September to which representatives of a wide-range of SET employer organisations, including industry and academia, are being invited. As soon as the Centre has been launched, these employers will be invited to seek direct, tailored advice, provided by specialised consultants about the best ways in which they can support women working in their organisations and tackle the barriers which cause women not to reach their full potential. Also many of the services to be delivered under this contract, including publishing good practice case studies, will be delivered online. The new website, being launched on 2 July, will have a section dedicated to such case studies. The Government has allocated £800,000 per annum for three years to set up and operate the new Centre and an additional £500,00 per annum for the development of a dedicated returners package.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

180067; 423 c397W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Advisory services Women Equality Finance ICT Engineering Technology Science

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk