§ Mr. Bishopasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is aware that 10 men and no women serve as members of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; whether he intends that women should be given an equal opportunity to serve when new appointments are made; and what action he proposes;
(2) if he is aware that seven men and two women serve as membres of the Race Relations Board; whether he intends that women should be given an equal opportunity to serve when new appointments are made; and what action he proposes;
326W(3) if he is aware that 29 men and five women serve as members of the Parole Board; whether he intends that women should be given an equal opportunity to serve when new appointments are made; and what action he proposes;
(4) if he is aware that four men and no women serve as members of the Horserace Totalisator Board; whether he intends that women should be given an equal opportunity to serve when new appointments are made; and what action he proposes;
(5) if he is aware that nine men and three women serve as members of the Community Relations Commission; whether he intends that women should be given an equal opportunity to serve when new appointments are made; and what action he proposes;
(6) if he is aware that on 49 public boards of a commercial character to which the Government make appointments, in 1971 there were 422 positions held by men and only five by women; and, in view of the fact that his Administration has considered women unsuitable to serve on 44 of these boards, what action he proposes by means of education, training entry to the professions and by greater opportunities to gain experience and other ways, so that women generally may be considered suitable eventually to become members of such authorities, whose responsibilities affect women.
§ Mr. MaudlingI am aware of the number of men and women serving on public boards of a commercial character, and on those other public boards for which I am responsible. The Government's policy in selecting people for public appointments is to choose those best qualified, irrespective of sex, and I shall continue to follow this policy in making appointments within my own sphere of responsibility. The measures which the Government are taking to encourage the training of women, to influence public attitudes towards their employment, and to enlarge the opportunities open to them, were described by my noble Friend the Minister of State in another place on 14th March during the debate on the Second Reading of the Anti-Discrimination (No. 2) Bill.