asked the Minister for the Public Service if he is aware of complaints that a poster produced by his Department to encourage job sharing in the public service showed only women, thereby possibly creating the impression that the scheme was intended for women only; if it is intended to withdraw and redesign the poster; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I am aware of the complaints but I do not regard them as well founded. I regret that they should have been made in respect of a scheme which is proving attractive to a significant number of civil servants, and I hope the complaints will not discourage those who are trying to promote the scheme. I am in correspondence at present with the complaints and in the circumstances I would prefer not to make further comment at this stage.

Has the Minister another leaflet or poster in mind in this connection?

The poster referred to has been published just in the last month. It is accompanied by a leaflet which is also being circulated on a wide scale basis, I think to all civil servants. The purpose of the publication of this new poster and the issuing of this leaflet was in an effort to give a boost to a scheme which was introduced in the springtime of last year and which has proven so far to be very successful indeed. It was hoped that through this further publicity a sizeable number of additional people for whom the scheme might have an attraction might become interested in it, or might be reminded of it.