Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Not Addressed
Ministers ultimately select independent and senior independent panel members for appointments.
Conclusion
We also questioned the Cabinet Office about the requirements for independent panel members and senior independent panel members who served on the Advisory Assessment Panels (“Panels”).28 All Panels are expected to have an independent member. “Significant” appointments, as laid out in a particular list, are required by the Governance Code to have a “senior independent panel member” (SIPM) on the Panel. The Governance Code states that a SIPM should be independent of the department and of the body concerned, should not be currently politically active, and must be agreed by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.29 The Cabinet Office told us that ministers select the independent Panel members. It also told us that there is usually a list of candidate SIPMs but Ministers ultimately select the SIPM for each Panel.30 22 Q 25 23 Qq 94, 95 24 Qq 96, 98 25 Qq 48, 51, 52 26 Q 50; Correspondence from Cabinet Office to Public Accounts Committee, 2 April 2024 27 Qq 51, 52 28 Qq 42–44 29 Governance Code on Public Appointments, 6.1 30 Qq 42–43 Non-executive appointments 13 2 Recruiting the best candidates Diversity
Government Response Summary
The government believes the current processes are rigorous and therefore does not consider further guidance or process necessary.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
3c. PAC recommendation: The Cabinet Office should: • set out clearly the standards of independence expected of non-executive directors, independent panel members, and senior independent panel members, including what matters must be registered. 3.8 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.9 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation that all published guidance on public appointments should be very clear on the expectations placed on all those directly involved in the public appointments process, whether as prospective candidates, those newly appointed to roles or those involved in appointment process. These expectations should stress the integrity, and where appropriate independence, of all involved. 3.10 All appointees are governed by the Seven Principles of Public Life and the rules on political activity and impartiality set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Each department or arm’s length body will also develop their own policies on impartiality and independence which will align with the Code. 3.11 The Governance Code on Public Appointments supports the Code of Conduct. It clearly sets out a comprehensive set of principles governing the process and goes into some detail on the roles and responsibilities of key participants (including ministers, the Commissioner, departments and independent panel members). It also clarifies the extent of allowable political activity, including that political activity should not affect any judgement of merit nor be a bar to appointment, nor should it be a bar to being an independent panel member on an assessment panel (though it does require the public disclosure of political activity within the last five years). Senior Independent Panel Members are governed by a stricter regime - they should be independent of the department and/or body concerned and should not be currently politically active (which the Governance Code defines). 3.12 The government considers the current processes rigorous on these issues, and does not therefore consider further guidance or process necessary, and therefore considers this