Public Appointments (Hansard, 10 December 1993)

§ Mr. Heald
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what further progress has been made in appointing more women as members of public bodies.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
Women have been appointed to some 40 per cent. of all new appointments made in the last 12 months. This is a further welcome improvement and demonstrates our continuing efforts to ensure that women can play their proper part in our public life. The percentage of public appointments held by women is now 28 per cent. which is a further increase of 2 per cent. since September 1992 on top of the 3 per cent. increase in the previous year. Full details will be published in due course in the 1993 edition of "Public Bodies".

§ Mr. Heald
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many public appointments are currently held by members of the ethnic minorities; and what plans the Government have to increase this number.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
Following the introduction last year of ethnic monitoring of public appointees, the statistics collected showed that at 1 September 1992, 2 per cent. of all appointments to public bodies were held by members of the ethnic minorities. The latest figures, full details of which will be published shortly in "Public Bodies", show that this has now increased to 2.3 per cent.
A few departments have already set their own goals for further increases but it is not practical for all departments to set such a goal. The Government aim progressively to increase the number of public appointments of members of ethnic minorities in order more closely to reflect their contribution to national life. Currently nearly 5 per cent. of the economically active population are members of the ethnic minorities.