Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of public appointments filled by women.

The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments and​ has aspiration that 50% of new public appointees should be women. We are making ​good ​progress, with 44% of new appointments made to women in 2014-2015 and a higher proportion of all public appointments (new appointments and reappointments) went to women last year than at any other point since records began.

The Centre for Public Appointments in the Cabinet Office supports departments on all issues relating to the diversity of public appointments. Steps we are taking to increase diversity include streamlining the application process​, placing an emphasis on ability over previous experience,​ and increasing awareness of opportunities by using a central website, social media and engaging with ​different ​diversity networks​ and groups.