AQW 47682/11-15 Written question to the First Minister and deputy First Minister
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their assessment of the under-representation of (a) women; (b) people under the age of 30; (c) minority ethnic communities; and (d) people with disabilities on the boards of local public bodies.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 24 June 2015
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 24 June 2015
- Answer due by
- 9 July 2015
- Answered
- 11 August 201548 days after tabling
- Department
- The Executive Office
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The most recent available comprehensive data were published in the Public Bodies and Public Appointments Annual Report for 2013/14. These show that:
at 31 March 2014, 36% of public appointments were held by women, with 31% of applications and 42% of appointments in the 2013/14 reporting year being female;
in the 2013/14 reporting year, people under the age of 30 accounted for 2% of applications and 2% of appointments;
in 2013/14, 2% of applications, and 1% of appointments, were from an ethnic minority; and
3% of applicants, and 2% of appointees, declared a disability in 2013/14.
The available data clearly show an undesirable under-representation among the listed groups. Work is being taken forward by OFMDFM, the cross-Departmental Public Appointments Forum, and by the NI Statistics and Research Agency to address issues of under-representation.