AQW 47682/11-15

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 24/06/2015
Answered On Date: 11/08/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
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.

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.