3 The recruitment process
11. The Chair of ESRC is appointed by the Secretary
of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, in a process
that must be in accordance with the recommendations of the Code
of Practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.[27]
DIUS informed us that the job information pack (appended to this
report as Annex B to Appendix 1) was approved by the Office of
the Commissioner for Public Appointments' (OCPA) independent public
appointments assessor before the post was advertised in the Sunday
Times on 2 November 2008. The recruitment exercise was carried
out by head-hunting firm Saxon Bampfylde which also conducted
a search. All applications were put before a panel consisting
of:
— Professor
Adrian Smith, Director General Science and Research at DIUS (Chair);
— John Neilson, Director Research Base
Group;
— Baroness Onora O'Neill, President of
the British Academy; and
— Professor Robert Burgess, Vice Chancellor,
Leicester University (who acted as the OCPA's independent public
appointments assessor).[28]
12. The panel shortlisted suitable candidates
and held interviews on 9 February 2009. In accordance with the
terms of the ESRC Royal Charter the interim Chair (Professor Ian
Diamond) was consulted, and recommendations were then made to
the Secretary of State who "considered their advice and decided
whom he wished to appoint".[29]
DIUS also informs us that the Prime Minister was consulted (in
accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines[30])
and has given his approval.[31]
27 Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments
, The Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice
for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies, August 2005. Back
28
Annex A to Appendix 1, The recruitment process. Back
29
As above. Back
30
Cabinet Office, Making and Managing Public Appointments: a
Guide for Departments, February 2006, p 85. Back
31
Annex A to Appendix 1, The recruitment process. Back
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