Recommendation 20

Advisory Assessment Panels serve an important role in the appointment process. The panel determines the shortlist, interviews candidates, and produces a list of 31 C&AG’s Report, para 14 32 Cabinet Office, Public Appointments Diversity Action Plan 2019, page 5 33 Q 72; C&AG’s Report, para 14 34 Q 68 35 Q 72 36 Qq 62, 68–71 37 Q 74 38 Qq 82, 83 39 Correspondence from Cabinet Office to Public Accounts Committee, 26 March 2024 14 Non-executive appointments appointable candidates. The appointing minister than chooses from among the list of appointable candidates.40 We challenged the Cabinet Office on whether it was committed to making sure that Advisory Assessment Panels are diverse and reflect the experience and background that it wants to see in applicants for public appointments. The Cabinet Office responded that Ministers are responsible for agreeing the composition of Advisory Assessment Panels.41