To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of public appointees appointed since 1 May 1997 have been selected from outside the central list of nominees. [39690]

The Government are committed to obtaining a wide field of candidates for public appointments. Sources of candidates can include advertising, executive search, consultation with interested bodies, and searches of central and departmental lists.Since May, the Public Appointments Unit has made nominations for around 700 appointments. Over the same period, it has learnt of 82 appointments which have been made following nomination by the Unit. A number of recent appointments will still be under consideration.Figures on the total number of new appointments made to executive non-departmental public bodies and health bodies within his remit since April 97 will be published in the Annual Report of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on his responsibilities relating to senior and public appointments; and what policy initiatives he has taken in this area. [39686]

My responsibility for public appointments includes setting the policy framework in which public appointments are made; liaising with the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments who sets standards for the process of making appointments within his remit; and responsibility for the Public Appointments Unit in OPS which works with departmental appointments units in disseminating best practice, and maintains a central list of potential candidates for public appointments. Recent initiatives in this area have included the publication of the green paper on Opening up Quangos which set out proposals on extending the Commissioner's remit and attracting a wider range of candidates to public appointments; and the development of a public appointments register on the internet. In addition, I have responsibility for a number of appointments to Cabinet Office non-departmental public bodies.My responsibility for the senior civil service extends to policy oversight for their pay and personnel management framework, including general appointment procedures. Responsibility for appointments to the most senior civil service posts resides with the Prime Minister and the Head of the Home Civil Service. An important recent initiative in this field was the creation of an inter-departmental Working Group on Equal Opportunities in the Senior Civil Service.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the use of information technology in the selection of candidates for public appointment. [39689]

The Government are committed to effective and efficient use of modern technology in carrying out their function. Information technology is used in public appointments in a variety of ways, including maintaining databases of potential candidates. In addition, information technology is used to provide information about public appointments, for example via the public appointments website (Public Appointments Unit @ Cabinet-Office.gov.uk).

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the role of headhunting bodies in the selection of public appointees;

The Government are committed to obtaining a wide field of candidates for public appointments. The guidance of the Commissioner for Public Appointments makes clear that sources of candidates can include advertising, consultation with interested bodies, search of central and departmental lists and the use of executive search can be particularly helpful in seeking to attract people who are not currently looking for a job, or who would not normally think of putting themselves forward for public appointment.The employment of members of the ethnic minorities is a matter for the executive search companies themselves. Departments will engage such companies in line with normal Government rules on tendering. All government contracts have provision against unlawful discrimination; and oblige the contractor to take all reasonable steps to ensure that their employees or agents do not discriminate.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average interval between the nomination of candidates for appointment to a public body, and the taking up of the appointment. [39688]

Information on the time between nomination and any appointment is not held centrally. The time is likely to differ substantially, depending on the circumstances.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment he has made of the accountability of public appointments bodies to ministers. [39687]

Ministers are directly responsible for around 30,000 public appointments. The Commissioner for Public Appointments, appointed under the Public Appointments Commissioner Order in Council 1995, produces guidance on the public appointments process, which sets out the role of Ministers, the alternative sources of candidates and the Commissioner's own responsibility to monitor and report on public appointments within his remit.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list by grade and by Government department the percentage of employees in the Civil Service who are disabled. [39913]

[holding answer 27 April 1998]: The proportions of non-industrial civil servants by grade and by Government department who are disabled as at 1 April 1997 are set out in the table.