§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many appointments to public bodies are currently held by women and members of ethnic minorities; and what plans the Government have to increase this number by 1996.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am pleased to be able to report that, as a result of the initiative announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister at the launch of Opportunity 2000 last year, the percentage of appointments to public bodies held by women has risen from 23 per cent. in 1991 to 26 per cent. at 1 September 1992. Detailed statistics about the number of such appointments held by members of the ethnic minorities are still being collected. Full details will be published in due course in the 1992 edition of "Public Bodies".
All departments have now drawn up their departmental plans for further progress in this area and I am arranging for a summary of these to be placed in the Library of the House. The objectives and goals set are comprehensive and demanding, and while they vary from department to department to reflect the different circumstances existing in each department, they represent a clear and unequivocal commitment to increasing still further the representation of women and members of the ethnic minorities, on merit, on public bodies over the year to 1996 and beyond.