asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the sex and ethnic origin of the officer designated by his Department as equal opportunities officer.

The equal opportunities officer designated by my Department is male and is of white European ethnic origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the equality of opportunities in his Department in so far as they concern sex and race discrimination; and what advice has lately been given to staff in his Department in respect thereof by the officer designated as equal opportunities officer with responsibility for giving such advice.

Yes on the basis of the information now available. To ensure equality of opportunities so far as possible, we will be conducting ethnic surveys of all staff under the Government's phased programme to enable ethnic monitoring to be carried out. The implementation of the programme of action on women in the Civil Service, announced on 9 February 1984, is being carefully monitored. An equal opportunities officer has been designated to co-ordinate non-discrimination policy in my Department and a joint management/trade union committee has been formed to review progress on this issue.