Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to increase the number of public appointments of BAME representation in the last three months.

The Government is committed to increasing the diversity of public appointments. 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. The Centre for Public Appointments also engages extensively with a variety of diversity networks​ and groups representing the views of ethnic minorities to raise awareness and increase the number of applications coming from BAME candidates and understand any potential issues or barriers.

I hosted an event in February for a variety of diversity networks to encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply for Public Appointments and to advertise them in their own networks. The Cabinet Office is also represented at events run by diversity networks to raise awareness of the opportunities available.