GOVERNMENT CALL THE
PUBLIC TO ACTION - JOIN YOUR PUBLIC BOARDS
Thursday 14th January
GOVERNMENT CALL THE PUBLIC
TO ACTION - JOIN YOUR PUBLIC BOARDS
Only one in eight people have served on a
public body, according to new IPSOS MORI research commissioned by
the Government Equalities Office and the Cabinet Office, and of
these, the majority are men from white backgrounds.
The research also showed that women are less
likely to consider applying for a public appointment than men;
disabled people are less likely to feel that the application
process is open and fair; and that while those from BAME
backgrounds are more likely to be interested in applying in the
future, they are less likely to consider putting themselves
forward.
Public bodies make decisions that affect our
day to day lives, but too few women, people from ethnic minorities
and disabled people sit on boards like the Arts Council, the
governing bodies of local hospitals and the Competition Commission.
A campaign led by the Government Equalities Office and the Cabinet
Office aims to encourage a more diverse group of people to apply
for public appointments so our public bodies better reflect the
communities they serve.
Tough new cross-Government targets state that
by 2011 women must form 50% of new public appointees, disabled
people 14%, and people from ethnic minorities 11%. This will
help ensure that Public Bodies better reflect the communities they
serve. As at March 2008 women formed 33% of public
appointees, disabled people 5%, and people from ethnic minorities
5.7%.
The research supports the launch of a new
Public Appointments Ambassadors network and two new public
appointments mentoring programmes. The programmes will support
people from diverse backgrounds in applying for public
appointments.
Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and
Equality, and Maria Eagle, Deputy Minister for Women and Equality,
will speak at the event which is chaired by Bonnie Greer,
playwright and Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees of the British
Museum.
Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and
Equality, said:
“Every day these public bodies are taking
decisions which are having an effect on people’s lives and are
shaping their future. They are important - but they are not
representative of society. We have to do more and we are.”
Maria Eagle MP, Deputy
Minister for Women and Equality,
said:
“We are a diverse nation and our public
bodies should reflect that. It’s only by drawing on the talent and
experience of people from all backgrounds that we’ll have public
boards that make the best decisions.
“Public bodies carry out a wide range of
vital activities that affect the lives of people up and down the
country, shaping policy and making key decisions. We all
stand to benefit from the improved decision making that can come
from a wider range of contributions.
“That’s why our Public Appointments
Ambassadors programme is so important. Nearly 200
inspirational people from a wide range of backgrounds will give
potential candidates the advice and support they need to apply for
public appointments, and will ensure that the best people from
diverse backgrounds know about, and apply for, the opportunities
available.”
Peter Cooke, trustee/vice-chair of the
Independent Living Fund and Public Appointment Ambassador
said:
“Holding a public appointment is an
important part of my life. Not only does it support the growth of
my professional and life skills, it also enables me to shape the
quality of the public services for me and my
community.
“I believe it’s important that our public
boards should reflect the diversity of our society, and I’m proud
to take part in this campaign to help educate and support the right
people in applying for public appointments.”
The reception will be attended by over 180
Public Appointment Ambassadors from across the country. The
Ambassadors will be speaking at events across the country.
They will help demonstrate how serving on the board of a public
body can help to enhance professional and life skills while also
making a difference and helping to shape the quality of public
services.
Key findings from the research include:
- Women are less likely than men to consider applying for public
appointments
- Those from BAME backgrounds are less likely to know somebody
who has been on a committee or board of a public body
- Those from BAME backgrounds are more likely to claim knowledge
about public appointments
- Those from BAME backgrounds are more likely to be interested in
applying in the future
- People with a disability are more likely to feel it is
difficult for them to apply for a public appointment
- 89% of the public say they have never considered applying for a
national public appointment
For more information on Public Appointments,
please visit: www.direct.gov.uk/publicappointments
For the IPSOS MORI research report, please
visit: http://www.equalities.gov.uk/
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
For press enquiries about the public
appointments campaign, please contact: Amy Shannon, ashannon@webershandwick.com,
020 7067 xxxx or Gabre Minkah: gminkah@webershandwick.com,
020 7067 0314
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Research Summary:
IPSOS MORI interviewed a nationally
representative quota sample of 1,007 adults throughout Great
Britain using half of the weekly Capibus sample. An additional 119
ethnic minority respondents were surveyed from the remaining sample
in order to increase the sample size for BME respondents. This
allows for better comparison of their views with the rest of the
population.
2. Other key findings
include:
- Three in ten people (30%) correctly say that
being on the board of a public agency or public body is a public
appointment. However, a greater proportion thinks that being an
elected politician (43%) is a public appointment, while one in four
(24%) wrongly identify public appointments with having a job in the
civil service
- Knowledge of public appointments is low (14%
say they know a great deal or fair amount about them). A
significant minority (44%) say they know nothing at all about them.
This is consistent with findings in 2004, when 10% of people in
England said they knew a great deal or fair amount about ‘the way
in which ministerial public appointments are made’
- Thirteen percent of people say they hold or
have held a position on a committee or board for a public
organisation. However most members of the public (84%) do not hold,
or have never held such positions. Overall, three in ten (30%) say
they know someone else who holds or has ever held such a
position
- However, there is a notable exception –
people from White backgrounds are more likely than those from
ethnic minority backgrounds to actually know somebody who has been
on a committee or board of a public organisation, despite the
greater knowledge about public appointments in general claimed
among those from ethnic minority backgrounds
- Nine out of ten (89%) people say they have
never considered applying for a national public appointment.
- The main reasons reported for not applying
for public appointments are a lack of interest and time or because
it had never occurred to people. However, some people also appear
to be put off applying because they feel it is not relevant to
their lives, because they do not feel they know enough about how to
go about applying; or because they feel they lack appropriate
qualifications.
3. The Government
Equalities Office is responsible for the Government’s
overall strategy, legislation, and priorities on equality issues.
The Office also has direct responsibility for policy on gender
equality, sexual orientation, and for integrating work on race. The
Prime Minister announced the establishment of the Government
Equalities Office (GEO) in July 2007 and it became a Department in
its own right in October 2007. It works to Ministers Harriet
Harman, Maria Eagle, Vera Baird and Michael Foster.