To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress his Department has made in achieving gender equality in public appointments to bodies which fall within his Department's responsibility since 1997. (125212)

[holding answer 5 March 2007]: The Government remain committed to improving diversity on the boards of public bodies and the principle of equal representation of women and men in public appointments. The annual Cabinet Office publication ‘Public Bodies’ contains details of the number of women appointed to public bodies each year by Department. For 1997- 2006 copies of these documents are available in the Libraries of the House for the reference of Members. From 1998 copies are also available on the internet at:

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/other/agencies/public_bodies/