§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of his Department's appointees to non-departmental public bodies are (i) aged under 25, (ii) aged 25 to 30 and (iii) aged 31 to 35 years. [40737]
§ Mr. MilburnOf the 632 appointees to the Department's non-departmental public bodies, (i) none are aged under 25 (0 per cent.); (ii) 1 is aged 25 to 30 (0.16 per cent.); and (iii) 4 are aged 31 to 35 years (0.63 per cent.).
The Department, like all Government Departments, is committed to encouraging a wide range of candidates to apply for positions on the boards of its public bodies, reflecting the diverse society in which we live. This includes encouraging more young people to put themselves forward as potential candidates for public appointments. All appointments are made on merit and candidates must demonstrate that they have the necessary skills and experience to match the needs of the public body on which they wish to serve.