§ 20. Mrs. LaitTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to increase the effectiveness of the public appointments unit. [39810]
§ Dr. David ClarkThe Government are committed to encouraging a wide range of candidates to apply for public appointments. The recent paper onOpening up Quangos consulted on how this might be achieved, and a follow-up paper will be published in due course.
The Public Appointments Unit has an important role to play as a source of potential candidates for public appointments, and it is committed to increasing the proportion of potential women and ethnic minority candidates held on its records. The Unit therefore works closely with departments and other organisations to ensure that the service it provides meets the needs of potential candidates and of departments seeking to fill appointments.