§ Joan RuddockTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [92519]
§ Mr. MorleyThe appointments made to public bodies are:
Chairmen Total (a) 1997–98 Total 30 223 Male 27 190 Female 3 33 White 30 221 Ethnic — 2 (b) 1998–99 Total 4 85 Male 3 67 Female 1 18 White 4 83 Ethnic — 2 Departmental Plans on equal opportunities setting objectives and targets for improving the representation of women, people from ethnic minority groups and from people with disabilities were published by the Government on 25 May 1999 and deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.