HC Deb 02 May 2000 vol 349 cc24-5W
Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 18 April 2000,Official Report, column 433W, about new appointments to the Council for Science and Technology, what the gender balance is on the new council and whether the gender balance of the expanded council is in line with Government targets for the representation of women on public bodies; how many women candidates (a) were considered for appointment to the Council and (b) met the criteria for appointment to the council; what steps his Department took to increase the pool of women candidates for appointment to the council; when he will next have an opportunity to improve the gender balance on the council; what steps he is taking in other parts of the scientific advisory system to compensate for the low representation of women on the Council for Science and Technology; and what consultation he has had with the Minister for Women on ways to increase women's participation in his Department's scientific advisory system. [120305]

Mr. Byers

Of the 16 independent members of the Council for Science and Technology, three are women (19 per cent.).

Of the 23 candidates considered for appointment to the Council during the most recent round, five were women, two of whom subsequently decided not to pursue their candidacy.

In identifying these candidates and making the appointments, my Department complied with the guidance of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. We canvassed widely, both internally among other Government Departments and externally among such organisations as the CBI, IoD, TUC, the CVCP, the Research Councils and the Higher Education Funding Councils. Nominations from existing members of the Council were also sought.

The next round of appointments to the Council is due to commence in September 2000, when we will continue to seek to increase the proportion of women on the Council, in accordance with my Department's published goal of reaching 33 per cent. representations of women by 2002 in making appointments to our non-departmental public bodies.