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1. Referring to its previous direct requests, the Committee notes the information contained in the Government's reports to the effect that it is considering proposals for the amendment of the Conditions of Employment (Regulations) Act of 1952 so as to include provisions to safeguard equality of opportunity, to provide effective remedies against discrimination and to guarantee equal remuneration for work of equal value. The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed of developments affecting the 1952 Act, so as to introduce the concept of "work of equal value" into the national policy of equality of opportunity and treatment between men and women in employment, as required by the Convention.

2. The Committee notes that the Government's reply to its request for statistics showing the average earnings of men and women, if possible by occupation, industry, seniority and level of training, and on the labour force participation of women, is that statistics at present do not distinguish between male and female wage-earners. The Committee would refer the Government to paragraph 248 of its 1986 General Survey on Equal Remuneration where the Committee stressed the importance of statistics in the implementation of the principle of the Convention. Noting, moreover, that certain statistics can be obtained from various reports (e.g. the 1992 Annual Report published by the Secretariat for the Equal Status of Women, which indicates that there has been a slight increase in the number of women appointees to public bodies) and that the Secretariat for the Equal Status of Women is, according to information from the Government concerning Convention No. 111, working closely with the Central Office of Statistics on a project for the improvement of sex-disaggregated statistics, it asks the Government to do its utmost to compile such statistics so that a general appreciation of the way the principle of the Convention is being applied in practice can be given.

3. Noting that the Government's report supplies the revised public service grades and wage scales (from No. 1 "Permanent Secretary" to No. 20 "Charwoman/deckhand/health attendant/labourer/latrine attendant/seaman I and watchman"), and that statistics on the number of male and female employees in each grade are being prepared, the Committee hopes that the next report will provide these data. In the meantime it refers the Government to paragraph 208 of its 1986 General Survey, mentioned above, where the issue of equal remuneration in "typically women's jobs" in the public sector is discussed.

4. Referring to its previous request for copies of collective agreements fixing wage rates for a range of industries, indicating if possible both the number of women covered by these agreements and providing information on the percentage of women and men holding posts at different levels, the Committee notes the Government's statement that, since it is not the practice in Malta to conclude agreements at this level, but rather at the enterprise level, official statistics on an industry-wide basis cannot be provided. Since the Committee considers it important to have information concerning the implementation of the Convention in terms of Article 2(c) and (d), it requests the Goverment to supply copies of recently concluded enterprise-level agreements, also indicating, if possible, the number of women covered and their hierarchical level within enterprise structures.

5. Referring to paragraphs 5 and 6 of its 1992 direct request, the Committee again requests the Government to: (i) indicate the methods adopted to promote an objective appraisal of jobs on the basis of the work to be performed (Article 3); and (ii) to indicate the specific means taken, in cooperation with the employers' and workers' organizations, to give effect to the provisions of the Convention (Article 4).