Public Bodies: Appointment of Women (Hansard, 24 September 2002)

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What further governmental, or other action, will be needed to ensure the achievement of the Government's 2005 target that 45–50 per cent of those appointed or reappointed to public bodies should be women; and [HL5729]

In light of the 7th Report from the Commissioner for Public Appointments, showing that only 39 per cent of those appointed or reappointed to public bodies in 2001–02 were women, and the fact that the numbers have remained at approximately the same level for the last five years, whether the Government still regard the 45–50 per cent target by 2005 as realistic and achievable; and [HL5730]

What their target, if any, is for the percentage of women who will chair public bodies by 2005; and [HL5731]

What is their target, if any, for the percentage of women who will be chief executives of public bodies by 2005. [HL5735]

§ Lord Macdonald of Tradeston

Responsibility for making public appointments lies with individual Ministers supported by their departments. Each department set out its targets for increasing diversity in public appointments inPublic Bodies: Opening up Public Appointments 2002–05, which was published on 14 February. If the targets set out in those plans are met, this will mean that, by the end of 2005 and for the majority of departments, women should hold 45–50 per cent of the appointments to the bodies they sponsor. The Government still believe that this will be the case and continue to be totally committed to permanent change in public appointments by substantially increasing diversity at all levels of appointment, including those at chair and deputy chair. The Cabinet Office will be doing all it can within its resources to help departments meet their targets while upholding the principles of selection on merit. There is at present no target for the number of women who will be chairs or chief executives of public bodies by 2005. In many cases responsibility for the appointment of chief executives lies with the boards of public bodies and not Ministers.