§ Joyce QuinTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made by the Department towards the aim in the White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice, of encouraging applicants to public bodies from all parts of England; and what change there has been in the geographical diversity of appointees to NDPBs and other public bodies sponsored by the Department since the publication of the White Paper.[108566]
§ Ms HewittMy Department is keen to promote diversity on all public bodies that it sponsors. Applications are sought from all members of the community irrespective of gender, ethnicity and geographical location. Vacancies on DTI sponsored NDPBs and other public bodies are advertised in the national and regional press; in trade and professional journals, on our web site and on the Cabinet Office's new vacancies website. During 2002, I led with my hon. Friend the Deputy Minister for Women, a national outreach programme involving 8 regional seminars. The seminars were aimed at increasing the numbers of women from the regions, minority ethnic women and disabled women applying for public appointments.
Between 14 May 2002 and 31 March 2003 I and my Ministerial colleagues in the DTI made 368 new appointments. The breakdown by region, based on home address is:
109W
Region East Midlands 39 Eastern 62 London 37 North East 18 North West 25 South East 76 South West 23
Region West Midlands 26 Yorkshire and Humber 13 Undisclosed 49