New statistics reveal that the Government is failing to increase female representation on public bodies boards and is unlikely to hit its own target of 50 per cent appointments being awarded to women by 2015.

Just months before this deadline the vast majority of departments are falling far short of this aim. Only two departments met this target it in 2013/14 and only three met it between April and September 2014.

In 2012/13 six departments awarded less than a third of public appointments to women and in the current financial year to September once you strip out appointments made by the Ministry of Justice and the Cabinet Office the remaining departments appointed a woman less than 30 per cent of the time.

Far from making progress towards the Government’s target several departments are in fact going backwards on female representation.

Ten departments had a lower level of female representation on public boards in 2013/14 than in 2012/13, twice the number of departments which improved.

Only two departments have seen year-on-year improvements in the percentage of female representation since 2012/13 (BIS and DCMS), and three departments have actually seen year-on-year decline in both 2013/14 and the first six months of 2014/15 (Education, Health and Defence).

Responding to these statistics, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women Equalities Minister, Gloria de Piero, said:

“David Cameron and Nick Clegg claim they want more women at the top of society but their Government’s actions tell a different story. They are failing on their commitment to gender equality in Government appointments and preside over a Cabinet that’s two-thirds male.
 
“A Labour Government in contrast will lead by example. Ed Miliband has said he wants 50 per cent of his Cabinet to be women, and we will govern in the interests of women, from introducing 25 hours free childcare for three and four-year-olds of working parents, or pay transparency to tackle the gender pay gap.”