Sir Alan slams equal opportunity laws

Published: Saturday, 9 February 2008, 6:38PM

Business guru Sir Alan Sugar has criticised employment laws for making it more difficult for women to get jobs.

The Apprentice star says equal opportunities rules mean employers are not allowed to ask female candidates if they plan to have children.

Sir Alan, who advises the Government on business issues, claims many firms simply bin women's CVs rather than take the risk of them taking maternity leave.

He said: "If someone comes in to an interview and you think to yourself there is a possibility that this woman might have a child and therefore take time off, it is a bit of a psychological negative thought.

"If they are applying for a position which is very important, then I should think that some employers might think: 'This is a bit risky'.

"They would like to ask the question: 'Are you planning to get married and to have any children?'"

He added: "These laws are counter-productive for women, that's the bottom line."

A spokeswoman for trade union Unison said: "Sir Alan Sugar's comments just show that discrimination against women is alive and well in the UK today.

"Any employer who just dumps a woman's CV in the bin is missing out on a huge pool of talent that would benefit their companies and their customers."

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.