Committee on Standards in Public Life: Review of the Electoral Commission
R11-27
Published January 2007
Response position and delivery status are recorded separately. Acceptance does not establish implementation.
Recommendation (the Committee's words)
The current ban on employing individuals at the Electoral Commission who have been politically active over the previous ten years should be reduced to one year. For senior management and regional electoral officers the length of the ban should be reduced to five years.
From: Committee on Standards in Public Life, Review of the Electoral Commission, January 2007
Government response
Government response (the government's words)
The Government supports the principle of this group of recommendations which is to allow for political experience to be brought to bear on the Commission's work. The Government believes that allowing for a minority of Commissioners with experience across the political spectrum will improve the overall effectiveness of the Commission. Legislative changes to PPERA will be required to bring the thrust of the recommendations into effect and we intend to make these changes when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.
As the CSPL, the Commission and the Speaker's Committee have noted, it will be important for appointees to bring their political experience to bear in a non-partisan manner and not act as representatives or delegates of their parties. The Government is confident that the appointments process adopted by the Speaker's Committee for the recruitment of these Commissioners will be consistent with this. It will, however, wish to consult the Speaker’s Committee and the political parties on how best to legislate to enable these appointments.
As the Speaker's Committee explains in its response, it supports the continuation of the practice of appointment to the Commission on merit; however, it recognises the value of Commissioners having close links with particular parts of the United Kingdom.
As the Speaker's Committee explains in its response, with the exception of the Chairman, the original appointments to the Electoral Commission were made on a part-time, non-executive basis. The Committee believes that this continues to be the right basis for such appointments. The Government supports this view. The next year or so will see a considerable amount of change at the Commission as it adjusts to meet its refocused regulatory role. Over the same period the original Commissioners will all have retired. It will be important therefore to have a full-time Chairman able to commit fully to the success of this process.
Whilst the Speaker's Committee agrees that there is a case for the statutory framework for Commissioners to be clarified, it considers that the existing procedures, which have regard to the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code are effective and do not need to be amended.
The Government welcomes the opportunity for clarification of the existing legislative framework and will work together with the Committee to agree how best this might be achieved.
As the CSPL, the Commission and the Speaker's Committee have noted, it will be important for appointees to bring their political experience to bear in a non-partisan manner and not act as representatives or delegates of their parties. The Government is confident that the appointments process adopted by the Speaker's Committee for the recruitment of these Commissioners will be consistent with this. It will, however, wish to consult the Speaker’s Committee and the political parties on how best to legislate to enable these appointments.
As the Speaker's Committee explains in its response, it supports the continuation of the practice of appointment to the Commission on merit; however, it recognises the value of Commissioners having close links with particular parts of the United Kingdom.
As the Speaker's Committee explains in its response, with the exception of the Chairman, the original appointments to the Electoral Commission were made on a part-time, non-executive basis. The Committee believes that this continues to be the right basis for such appointments. The Government supports this view. The next year or so will see a considerable amount of change at the Commission as it adjusts to meet its refocused regulatory role. Over the same period the original Commissioners will all have retired. It will be important therefore to have a full-time Chairman able to commit fully to the success of this process.
Whilst the Speaker's Committee agrees that there is a case for the statutory framework for Commissioners to be clarified, it considers that the existing procedures, which have regard to the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code are effective and do not need to be amended.
The Government welcomes the opportunity for clarification of the existing legislative framework and will work together with the Committee to agree how best this might be achieved.
From: HM Government. Source document ↗