Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
Delays in public appointments deter candidates and risk creating governance gaps.
Conclusion
The NAO and the Commissioner for Public Appointments have noted that delays can put off candidates, leading them to withdraw their application or deterring them from applying in the first place.8 The Cabinet Office also told us that its outreach work showed that people can feel put off applying in the first place because they fear it will take too long. It said that executive search firms reported that people will take private sector posts instead of public appointments because they envisage the process for the latter will take longer to be completed.9 Delayed appointments can also lead to either gaps on boards or necessitate that public bodies resort to temporary appointments or extensions to fill those gaps. The Cabinet Office acknowledged that this situation is not desirable.10 The Government’s Lead Non-Executive told us that boards that are below strength are at risk of not being able to fully carry out their function with regards to governance. He also noted that if the chair of the audit and risk committee is vacant then there is a gap in the governance of the Department, so filling these roles promptly is important.11
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to review and consult on how to streamline recruitment and selection processes to reduce delays and improve diversity, with the outcomes to be published in a new approach by October 2025.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendations. appointments processes to improve diversity. The outcomes of this review and consultation process will be reflected in the new approach, to be published by October 2025 (see response to recommendation 4a). Trust in the way that the process operates is vital to the success of the system. As part of the development of a new plan to improve diversity across the public appointments system, the Cabinet Office will consult on how recruitment and selection processes can be improved to support its diversity ambitions.