To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the appointments to public bodies which she has made since 1 May 1997 have been from the Public Appointments Unit list. [33248]

Nominations of candidates for appointment to this Department's public bodies are sought from a wide range of sources, including the Public Appointments Unit and advertising. Many of the public bodies are of a specialist nature and their appointees are drawn from a specialist field. Since 1 May 1997 no appointments have been made from the Public Appointments Unit list.