§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [40743]
§ Mr. StrawOf the 526 appointees to my Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), one is aged under 25 years, one is aged between 25 and 30 and two are aged between 31 and 35 years. This includes appointments made by the Prime Minister to NDPBs sponsored by my Department.
The Government are committed to encouraging a wide range of candidates to apply for positions on the boards of 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.