PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland: Public Appointments (5 October 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to section 73(4) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is representative of the community in Northern Ireland.

Asked by:
Simon Hoare (Conservative)

Appointments to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland are made on merit following an open and transparent process regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). All stages of the process are overseen by an independent panel member. In order to reach potentially under-represented groups, the appointments for which the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible are advertised widely online, in the local press in Northern Ireland and promoted through stakeholder networks. In addition, as part of the Northern Ireland Office’s commitments under the Disability Confident Scheme, a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for the job are invited to interview.

Answered by:
Mr Robin Walker (Conservative)
8 October 2020