To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to provide extra central Government money for good quality Manpower Services Commission community programme projects in the community care field which cannot meet the requirements of the new adult training programme.

[holding answer 22 June 1988]: My right hon. and learned Friend hopes that bodies which have operated successful projects under the community programme will be able to adapt to the requirements of employment training. He has no plans to set up special funding arrangements for providing alternative grant assistance to such projects. Local authorities and health boards both routinely provide assistance to local voluntary projects in the community care field.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether he has any plans to improve equality of opportunity for women and for people from ethnic minorities in all grades of his Department, in connection with employment, training and promotion, respectively.

My Department is constantly looking for ways to develop and improve its equal opportunities programme. Current initiatives include alternative working patterns, especially part-time working and job-sharing, and recruitment reviews.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether he has carried out monitoring exercises in accordance with the codes of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission, respectively.

Monitoring exercises of recruitment, promotion and training have been carried out in accordance with these codes. The results of the exercises are being studied.