Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted in Part
Consider binding Ministers to panel recommendations for commission appointments and publishing consultees.
Recommendation
The Troubles Bill partly addresses concerns about the Secretary of State’s wide-ranging powers of appointment to the commission under the Legacy Act. Relinquishing such powers to an independent entity may only raise questions of accountability, so transparency will be an important confidence-building part of this process. To that end, the Government should consider the merits of a Minister being bound by a recommendation of the panel of relevant person/s; and publishing an indicative list of consultees, which should include victim-survivor representation. (Conclusion, Paragraph 65) 81
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation to publish a list of prospective consultees, including victim-survivor representation, noting this is required by Clause 9 of the Bill. However, it rejected the idea of the Minister being bound by a panel's recommendation, citing the need for ultimate oversight.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The Troubles Bill, at Clause 9, requires the Secretary of State to publish a list of prospective consultees before they are consulted on relevant appointments. Where appropriate, for example for the Victims and Survivors Advisory Group (VSAG), this will of course include consultation with representatives of victims and survivors. The list of consultees will vary for each appointment process, to ensure that the consultation for each role includes the required expertise. I can assure the Committee that the Government will aim to publish a list of prospective consultees in good time ahead of any consultation process. The public appointment of the Commissioners, Directors of Investigations, Judicial Panel Members, and members of the VSAG by the Secretary of State is consistent with the approach taken for many other public appointments, including in Northern Ireland. It is important that the Secretary of State has ultimate oversight of appointments, to ensure that all appointments are appropriate and capable of commanding public confidence.