§ The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Douglas Alexander)I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses copies of the latest edition of the annual Cabinet Office Publication,Public Bodies. This publication, available in pdf format, has been placed upon the Cabinet Office's agencies and Public Bodies Team website, http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/agencies-publicbodies/.
Public Bodies 2003 is the latest in a series of publications providing information on public bodies sponsored by Government.
In addition to giving details of the remit of the public bodies, the publication also provides information about the membership of the boards of public bodies, including the numbers of women, people with disabilities and minority ethnic members.
Departments continue to work hard to increase the number of appointees from currently under-represented groups to achieve equal representation of women and men, pro rata representation of members of minority ethnic groups and increased participation of disabled people. As at 31 March 2003, 35.7 per cent. of appointments to public bodies were held by women, 5.3 per cent. by people with a minority ethnic background and 3.1 per cent. by disabled people.
The publication also includes information about the Government's task forces, ad hoc advisory groups and reviews, giving a more complete picture of the bodies and groups working to deliver the Government's objectives.