Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to promote diverse representation on boards.

My Right Honourable Friend, the Minister for Women and Equalities has advised me that we should celebrate the progress already made: in 2011 there were 152 all-male boards across the FTSE 350; there are now only six.

We need to go further. We are supporting the work of the Hampton-Alexander Review to increase female leadership on boards and crucially in executive positions, and welcome Sir John Parker’s work on increasing ethnic diversity on FTSE boards.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy are also establishing a new Minister-led Diversity and Inclusion Group to help drive progress, and supporting schemes helping talented women get board experience.