§ Miss BeggTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he plans to take to ensure that Government departments(a) undertake the duties outlined in the Cabinet Office Diversity in Public Appointments document and (b) report on the numbers of disabled people who hold public appointments in their departments. [48755]
§ Mr. LeslieThe publication "Public Bodies: Opening Up Public Appointments 2002–05" sets out for each Department specific targets for increasing diversity on the boards of the Public Bodies it sponsors and the action that will be taken to ensure that the targets are met and for monitoring progress. The numbers of appointments held by men, women, disabled people and people from ethnic minority backgrounds, will be reported in the annual Public Bodies data on the numbers of disabled appointees on bodies sponsored by some Departments was not available but, as noted in that publication, this information will be compiled for inclusion in Public Bodies 2002. Copies of Public Bodies: Opening up appointments 2002–05 and Public Bodies 2001 have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are available on-line at http://www.quango.gov.uk.