§ Mrs. LaitTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he gives to health authorities and health trusts on the number of women appointees as non-executive directors. [18304]
§ Mr. MaloneAn equal opportunities policy is adopted in the selection process for appointments. Under the Opportunity 2000 women in the national health service initiative we have set a goal to increase the number of women appointed to health authorities and NHS trusts to 43 per cent. by 30 September 1998. Currently the national percentages of women non-executive appointments is 41.62 per cent. for NHS trusts, 51.45 per cent. for district health authorities and 36.6 per cent. for family health services authorities.