Harman: "a huge challenge"

Harman To Give Women A Voice In Whitehall

Ms Harman announced the establishment of a new Women's Unit to give women a voice in all crucial policy decisions, saying she wanted to "create a new bond of trust between women and Government and ensure the Government delivers its promises to women".

"I will ensure that, for the first time, women's issues are put firmly at the heart of government," she declared. "I will open up a new dialogue with women - both with women's organisations and with women throughout the country - to ensure that women's many voices are heard by Government, not just those on the inside track. This is a huge challenge and a huge responsibility. We must show women that this is their government."

Pauline Barrett, a top civil servant, is being recalled from her posting with the Geneva-based International Labour Organisation to head the unit.

Ms Harman herself will head what she says will be a powerful Cabinet sub-committee for women, involving male and female ministers from all major departments, to co-ordinate the work of ministers across Whitehall.

Critically, Ms Harman will scrutinise all economic and social papers that cross ministers' desks to assess their impact on women.

She said the committee and the unit would together "ensure an effective cross-departmental approach to women's issues" which would be key to delivering Labour's manifesto pledges on issues like "family-friendly" employment, a national childcare strategy, and domestic violence.

Mr Blair had established a Minister of Women, said Ms Harman, because he recognised New Labour must be "a government of all the people".

She defended the Prime Minister against claims that he had failed to honour his promise to establish a separate Cabinet post for a Women's Minister. "For the first time we have a woman in the Cabinet - a Women's Minister - with a powerful department as well as responsibility for women's issues," said Ms Harman, adding that Social Security, for which she is Secretary of State, was a very important department for women.

Opposition parties were dismissive of the announcement and one Tory MP dubbed it a "gimmick".