§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many appointments to public bodies were made by his Department in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99, broken down by (i) gender and (ii) ethnicity; and if he will list the chairmen appointed to those bodies in those years, similarly broken down. [92520]
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§ Mr. Chris SmithThe information is noted in the following table, which includes all appointments which fall under my responsibility or where my role is to advise my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, or through him Her Majesty The Queen.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Her Majesty The Queen and Prime Minister 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 Gender Male 72 (62.6%) 121 (64.3%) Female 43 (37.4%) 67 (35.7%) Total appointments 115 188 Of which chairmen: Male 12 (92.3%) 14 (82.3%) Female 1 (7.7%) 3 (17.7%) Total 13 17 Ethnicity White 95 (82.6%) 153 (81.3%) Ethnic 8 (6.9%) 12 (6.4%) Unknown1 12 (10.4%) 23 (12.2%) Of which chairmen: White 12 (92.3%) 13 (76.4%) Ethnic 0 0 Unknown1 1 (7.7%) 4 (23.5%) 1 Where information on ethnic background is not known or where appointees have declined to disclose this information My Department has published an action plan on equal opportunities in "Quangos—Opening up Public Appointments 1999–2002", which was published by the Government on 25 May 1999 and deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. The action plan sets out DCMS objectives and targets for improving representation of women, people from ethnic minority groups and from people with disabilities.