Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 54
Confirm timeline for regulating NED appointments and class Lead Non-Executive as significant appointment.
Recommendation
The Cabinet Office should confirm in its response to this Report the timeline for implementing the CSPL recommendation that NED appointments should be regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This should apply to all NED appointments in Government departments. We also recommend that the position of Government Lead Non-Executive should be classed as a “significant appointment” under the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which would require a senior independent panel member to be involved in the recruitment to provide an additional level of scrutiny and public assurance.
Government Response Summary
The government has implemented the regulation of NEBM appointments by updating the Public Appointments Order in Council. However, the classification of the Government Lead Non-Executive position as a 'significant appointment' will be considered during the next refresh of the Significant Appointments list.
Paragraph Reference:
54
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The Government has confirmed its acceptance of the CSPL recommendation, to add the appointment of NEBMs to the boards of ministerial departments, in its response to those recommendations which was published and laid as a Command Paper in Parliament on 20 July. NEBM appointments will now align with the approach for all other regulated appointments. A refreshed Public Appointments Order in Council 2023 is now in place, updating the list of public bodies regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, including the addition of non-executive directors to the boards of ministerial departments. This commitment has therefore now been met. The classification of the Government Lead Non-Executive position as a significant appointment under the Code will be considered as part of the next refresh of the Significant Appointments list which is agreed between the Commissioner for Public Appointments and Government.