Almost five times as many Labour supporters as Conservatives are being appointed by ministers to public bodies, a new report has revealed.

The disclosure came in the annual report of the public appointments commissioner, Dame Rennie Fritchie.

With ministers making 3,506 appointments in 2001/02, it was revealed that 14.3 per cent declared they were active on behalf of the Labour Party, while just 2.7 per cent had helped the Conservatives and only 2.5 per cent had been involved with the Liberal Democrats.

The figures show a steady rise in the number of Labour supporters being appointed over recent years - from 11.7 per cent in 2000/01 and 9.7 per cent in 1999/00.

In the appointment of chairmen of public bodies, the number of Labour supporters being appointed is even larger. Some 16 per cent supporting the governing party against 4.6 per cent favouring the Tories.

In the last year of John Major's Conservative administration, 1996/97, the figures showed 5.9 per cent of appointees declared Conservative support while 3.3 per cent had helped Labour.

The report also revealed some lax recruitment practices in Gordon Brown's Treasury, which was criticised for failing to observe agreed procedures.

The report says the Treasury has poor assessment indicators for performance - which should be used before an individual is reappointed.

The chancellor's department was also criticised after a minister was found to have "parachuted in" a candidate for one post - with an individual being shortlisted for interview without applying for the post.

Treasury officials, led by future cabinet secretary Sir Andrew Turnbull, also failed to retain an independent element to the interview process

Tessa Jowell's culture department and the Welsh assembly also had shortcomings.

The Scottish parliament was found to have failed to comply with the Code of Practice set out by the commissioner for public appointments.

"After much thought, I have decided, for the first time, to identify those departments which have not followed my code of practice, as well as naming those where best practice is taking place," said Dame Fritchie.

"This is not because of any increase in those not following the commissioner's rules, but in the interests of openness and transparency.

"This will, I hope, act as an encouragement to departments to consider these rules when making ministerial appointments to public bodies."

The number of complaints to the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments equalled the high of 38 previously reached in 1999.

Not included in the report is Dame Fritchie's findings in relation to the attempted appointment of Lord Warner to the Audit Commission, because it took place after the March deadline.

Speaking to journalists, she acknowledged that then-local government secretary Stephen Byers should not have touted the idea of Lord Warner's appointment to interested parties.

But she said that early reports from other departments indicated that this was an isolated case.

The annual report also categorises the year's public appointments by gender, ethnic minority and disability.

A total 3506 public appointments were made last year, a reduction of 350 on previous year.

Of last year's appointments, 39 per cent were women - an increase on the 2000/01 figure.

The number of appointments from ethnic minority backgrounds rose slightly to 8.6 per cent.

The figures also showed that 2.9 per cent had a disability, a slight rise on the 2.4 per cent the previous year.