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The Government has finally decided to split the responsibility for equal opportunities between the Cabinet Office's Women and Equality Unit and the DTI.
The unit will deal with women's employment and pay, and the DTI is setting up Equality Direct - an advisory service on equal opportunity issues.
John Philpott, the CIPD's chief economist, criticised the Government for dragging its heels. He said, "Equal opportunities should have been outlined at the same time that ministerial responsibilities were announced, not at Parliament last week."
Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, attempted last week to clear up employers' confusion over the structure of his new department.
Speaking a seminar held by think-tank IPPR, Darling said his department combines the Employment Service with Social Services, signalling a new approach to welfare.
He said, "Our main objective is to get people into work - the alternative is to damn another generation to being out of work. We need to get rid of the distinction between those signing on to work and those on benefits.
