on persistent abuses, Development and Opportunity Minister Terry Lister said yesterday.

And it will be the first time in the Human Rights Commission's 16-year history that offenders will be publicised.

Mr. Lister said businesses found at fault in HRC hearings should be exposed.

He added: "We will do it on a selective basis -- we will select repeat offenders and publish their names.'' But he said the policy of maintaining secrecy in Commission hearings on allegations of sexual harrassment would continue.

The news came as Mr. Lister revealed white collar firms were the biggest offenders under human rights laws -- with women the major target.

Mr. Lister said he would be "very concerned'' if the Human Rights Commission dealt with large numbers of cases.

He added: "The largest single type of case we deal with is the issue of pregnancy.

"We have women getting pregnant and not being assured of their position and their job if they decide they want to come back to work.

"It's primarily white collar companies and the offences are mainly against females. There are offences against men, but it's generally women in white collar positions who are having problems.'' Mr. Lister said the ground rules for the new policy would only cover companies -- not individuals.

And he added that a prior record of abuses and company policies would be taken into consideration before a firm was named.

Mr. Lister said: "We have never-seen companies, those who occasionally appear and may or may not be the guilty party and those who are apparently quite happy to appear before us.

"Those companies which occasionally appear before us on a particular matter fear that their company will be embarrassed or ruined by a wild accusation.'' And he added firms would still be allowed to remain anonymous if it was judged that a case was an isolated incident.

Mr. Lister said that names would only be released -- to be printed in the HRC's annual report -- after a case had been heard.

He explained: "We will do it at the end of a case, not prior, and in the form of our annual report.'' But Mr. Lister said the Commission for Unity and Racial Equality would continue to keep the names of people involved in cases a secret.

Publicity: Terry Lister Graphic file name: LISST