Government response
The Government is grateful to the Treasury Committee
for the invaluable role it played at exceptionally short notice
in ensuring that the House of Commons was able to consider and
vote before the summer Parliamentary recess on the appointment
of Sir Michael Scholar KCB as Chair of the Statistics Board. The
Government announced on 17 July 2007 that Sir Michael was its
nominee for this post. The Committee took oral evidence from Sir
Michael on 18 July and published its report on 23 July recommending
his appointment. The House debated the appointment on 25 July
and endorsed Sir Michael's nomination.
The nominee
1. On the basis of our examination of the role
and functions of the new Statistics Board, the information available
to us about Sir Michael Scholar and the oral evidence which he
gave to the Committee on Wednesday 18 July, we consider that Sir
Michael Scholar is a suitable nominee for the post of Chair of
the Statistics Board and has demonstrated to us his commitment
to the independence, integrity and importance of statistics. We
therefore recommend him to the House. We note that he is taking
on a six-day week: we expect that his position as Chair of the
Statistics Board will be his primary commitment. (Paragraph 29)
The Government is grateful for this recommendation.
Following the debate in the House of Commons on 25 July, Sir Michael
took up his post as Chair-designate of the Statistics Board at
the beginning of September.
2. No individual can possess all the skills required
by the Board as a whole. We recommend that the first non-executive
Board member to be appointed after the Chair should be the equivalent
of a senior, independent non-executive member of a public limited
company's board. This post should be filled by a candidate from
a commercial background and, in particular, with sound experience
in corporate governance. (Paragraph 30)
The Government notes and has acted on this recommendation.
The selection process for the other non-executive members of the
Statistics Board has begun, and the need for the Board to include
commercial and corporate governance experience has been made clear
in the selection criteria.
Reflections on the process
3. We accept that the circumstances of the current
nomination for the post of Chair of the Statistics Board are exceptional,
coming so soon after the Government's initial proposals for improving
parliamentary involvement in public appointments and relating
to a newly-established post. Nevertheless, if select committees
are to be enabled to be properly equipped to consider nominations
for major public appointments, it is vital for Ministers to provide
initial information to a select committee about the proposed timetable
for a particular appointment at the earliest possible opportunity,
and then to ensure that the committee is provided on a timely
basis with subsequent information about the conduct of the appointment
process. (Paragraph 32)
The Government accepts this recommendation. Where
a proposed appointment is to be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny
by a select committee, departments will need to factor this into
the planning process. This will help ensure that select committees
receive early notification of relevant forthcoming appointments
and that the timing of pre-appointment hearings are agreed with
committees in advance. The Cabinet Office will be preparing guidance
for departments on pre-appointment hearings. This will emphasise
the need for early consultation with the relevant select committee.
4. We recommend that, in taking forward its proposals
in The Governance of Britain, the Government
accept explicitly that, in any case where a nomination for public
appointment is subject to a vote in the House of Commons, that
vote should be preceded by an opportunity for the relevant select
committee to take evidence from the Government's nominee and to
report. (Paragraph 34)
The Government accepts this recommendation. The Government
is currently consulting on which appointments should be subject
to pre-appointment hearings by select committee. Each appointment
will be considered on its merits and the final list of appointments
will be agreed with the Liaison Committee. If an appointment was
to be subject to a vote in the House of Commons it would be important
to build in time to allow the Select Committee an opportunity
to take evidence from the Government's recommended nominee before
the nomination is subject to a vote in the House.
5. The Government's general proposals for select
committee involvement in public appointments are based on the
Government's view that any opinions expressed in reports of select
committees about nominees should be "non-binding". The
Government has proposed a vote of the House of Commons on the
nomination of Chair of the Statistics Commission, but not on nominations
to other posts. Given the Government's commitment to strengthening
the role of the House of Commons and its select committees in
public appointments, the Government should consider whether such
a vote should be required for certain other high-status appointments.
We recommend that, in relation to such appointments, where a select
committee comes to an adverse opinion on a nomination, that select
committee should have the power to require that the nomination
be the subject of a vote in the House of Commons or a debate in
a General Committee. (Paragraph 37)
The Government's proposals, as set out in The
Governance of Britain Green Paper, aim to strengthen the role
of the House of Commons in appointments whilst ensuring that the
appointments process remains proportionate and continues to attract
high quality candidates. The responsibility for making an appointment
rests with the Minister concerned. In doing so, Ministers may
take account of others' views, including the views of Parliament,
but the ultimate decision rests with the relevant Minister.
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