Minister McVey's speech on public appointments
Opening remarks from Minister McVey at an event held in Edinburgh on public appointments.
Good afternoon - it바카라 사이트檚 a pleasure to be here with you all.聽
This is our third event focused on increasing the diversity of our public appointments바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ut importantly it바카라 사이트檚 our first event here in Scotland바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd it is also the first Cabinet Office event I바카라 사이트檝e been to since arriving in post.
And I am pleased to see such a packed room.
I want to thank you for taking the time to be here today바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트e know you are all busy people, with many busy diaries only getting busier in the run-up to Christmas바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ut it is so important that you바카라 사이트檙e here.聽
Looking out of the window on my journey up here, I was reminded of the great variety of our country바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트he rolling hills, the countryside, the towns, the cities.聽
And I thought those places actually represent the diversity of the people who live in those places.聽
And so often, we don바카라 사이트檛 have that diversity of thought. That diversity of expression in those public bodies.聽
That바카라 사이트檚 what we바카라 사이트檙e trying to do today.
I바카라 사이트檓 originally from Liverpool and I lived up in Edinburgh for a while. It바카라 사이트檚 one of my favourite places. I think it is such a vibrant, exciting place.
But the 바카라 사이트 - as part of our Levelling Up and Places for Growth agendas - needs to build the better, secure, prosperous future for this country.聽
An important part of my role is being the voice of the people in the very centre of 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd that means that I need to ensure that this bright future I바카라 사이트檝e described for every single citizen across the country.聽
Our UK-wide Public Bodies are a vital part of this work바카라 사이트β�
바카라 사이트ncluding those Scottish Arms Length Bodies바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd therefore it is essential we get the best - and the right - people in the right posts to run them.聽聽
And we must all be more strategic about how we go about getting those people for those posts.
That바카라 사이트檚 why I am here today.聽
I바카라 사이트檝e been reading about some of the people in this room and I will say that some of the brightest and the best from a real diversity of backgrounds and careers are here today.
Baroness Neville-Rolfe - who unfortunately could not be here with us today - told me to really focus on diversity in the broadest sense바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트hat regional diversity and diversity of thought.
You can be from different parts of the country, but have the same thought patterns.
What we want is that challenge.聽
People bringing that perspective you don바카라 사이트檛 always hear.
Maybe being a bit more thoughtful바카라 사이트� a bit more savvy바카라 사이트� a bit more concentrated on a local area.
And that바카라 사이트檚 what we intend to do.
We want to break that cycle바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트f what people might describe as group think.聽
And what better place to do that than Scotland, what better place than Edinburgh, to do that.聽
We want to call out to those brilliant people from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Cheshire, Birmingham, Manchester, to spread their expertise across the country.
The value of the skills and expertise that people in this room will be priceless바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd the expertise you have gained throughout your careers could benefit the public sector.
You could help our hospitals be more efficient바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ou could improve education for the very youngest children바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트lso help those who want to be apprentices바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ou could ensure some of our greatest museums throughout the country get even better.聽
However it is not only about harnessing those skills바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트� it바카라 사이트檚 also about ensuring that candidates for public appointments are drawn from across the breadth of the country.聽聽
We need diversity - as I said - of thought, of skills, and of capability.
Because it바카라 사이트檚 those sensibilities which will properly challenge the organisations they are responsible for바카라 사이트�
But before we recognise the scale of the challenge we are doing, we owe it to you and to our public services to make sure the right support is in place.
We know that we need to be better throughout the whole process.聽
For example, where applicants may not be successful for a particular appointment - but may be brilliant at what they do - we need to be able to track those people and take that forward, so that maybe we can consider their expertise elsewhere.聽聽
We should never forget about your career, and ensure there바카라 사이트檚 career progression offered too.聽聽
聽My officials will be on hand today to discuss the upcoming opportunities바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트nd we have a number of departments represented here who - I am sure -聽 will be delighted to speak to you about roles later today.聽
We have some great speakers today바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ho will - no doubt - persuade you that this is something you need to go forward for.
Whether you바카라 사이트檝e got that experience, that certain skill, or what it takes to make a real difference.聽
So I will hand over to the official in the Propriety & Ethics Team at the Cabinet Office바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트ho will tell you what is coming up for the rest of the day.聽
But so you get the best out of today, rather than feeling it바카라 사이트檚 somebody talking to you or at you바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트 would like you to be an active participant in what we do.
When I do a Q&A session a little bit later, with people who are on boards, who have been on boards, please put your hand up if the questions I바카라 사이트檓 asking really aren바카라 사이트檛 the questions you want to ask.
Today is really about you.
I will also say I바카라 사이트檝e been on that journey바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트 was Chair of the British Transport Police Authority바카라 사이트β�
바카라 사이트o I probably know some of the questions you바카라 사이트檙e thinking:聽
How do I go about it?聽
Is it a closed shop?聽
How do I do my CV?聽
How do I write that covering letter?聽
How do I really sell myself so I can be on that board.
I바카라 사이트檝e been on this journey too바카라 사이트� sometimes unsuccessfully, sometimes successfully.
So warts and all, I바카라 사이트檒l tell you what it바카라 사이트檚 been like for me.聽
And also what I바카라 사이트檒l say is practice makes perfect.聽
You바카라 사이트檒l get into the pattern of how you answer the questions and how you tell your story바카라 사이트�
바카라 사이트o people say 바카라 사이트渁h, they are the skills that I need on this board.바카라 사이트�
Hopefully you바카라 사이트檒l get a lot out of today, and hopefully you바카라 사이트檒l enjoy it.