Ruddock: minister without a minister's salary

Government appoints women's minister

Ms Ruddock, who is MP for Lewisham Deptford and a former chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, will assist the Social Security Secretary, Harriet Harman. However, she will not draw a minister's salary on top of her MPs pay, because of the limit which exists on the number of ministers who can be on the Whitehall payroll.

Ms Harman has outlined an ambitious agenda for women. Last week, she said her intention was to "create a new bond of trust between women and the government, and ensure that the government delivers its promises to women."

She declared: "I will ensure that, for the first time, women's issues are put firmly at the heart of government...We must show women that this is their government."

In order to maximise the role of women in policy making, a new Women's Unit has been established. Pauline Barrett, a senior civil servant, has been recalled from her post with the International Labour Organisation in Geneva to head the unit.

Ms Harman heads a Cabinet sub-committee for women to coordinate the work of ministers. All economic and social policy papers which land on minister's desks have to be examined by Ms Harman, in order to assess their impact on women.