Scottish Government Equality Outcomes: Disability Evidence Review

11 Public appointments

11.1 This section presents the available data on public appointments in relation to disabled people.

11.2 A Public Appointment is an appointment to the board of any of the public bodies across Scotland - either as a member, or as the chair^[84]. The board's role is to provide leadership, direction and guidance, it is not involved in the day-to-day running of the public body.

11.3 As of 31 March 2011, disabled people made up just 7.7% of UK appointees, even though 14% of the working age population were disabled^[85].

11.4 During the year 2011/12^[86], 15.3% of applicants to public boards in Scotland declared a disability and 11.5% of people appointed to boards declared a disability.

11.5 The Scottish Government's website for public appointments^[87] reports that, in the public appointments rounds for 2011-12, 14% of applicants were disabled but only 11% of appointees were. It is anticipated that data to 2013 will be published on the same website later this year.