I fully agree that the Council for the Status of Women is doing excellent work and is worthy of the full support of the Government. The Estimate concerned was virtually concluded before my appointment. Unfortunately, the timing was wrong from that point of view. When I met the Council for the Status of Women on 16 February they also raised the question of funding to other schemes with which the are concerned, namely, the civil legal aid scheme and the family mediation service. The funding for those services was increased by 7 per cent in 1993. Increased funding is also provided for locally based women's groups with which they are concerned. Grants have been increased by 50 per cent from £500,000 in 1992 to £750,000 in 1993 and the carer's allowance allocation was increased by 5 per cent, from £10.5 million in 1992 to £11 million in 1993. The Government is concerned to make the optimum use of the limited resources available and certainly next year I will be keeping the needs of the Council for the Status of Women under close review.