Pre-appointment hearing with the Chair-elect of the Economic and Social Research Council, Dr Alan Gillespie CBE - Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee Contents



Annex A

Legal basis

Both BBSRC and ESRC were formed under the provisions of section 1(1)(c) of the Science and Technology Act 1965. Appointments to both of the Research Councils are made by the Secretary of State for Innovation Universities and Skills under the terms of section 4 of their Royal Charters.

ESRC

4.  (1) The Council shall consist of a Chair, a Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, and not less than ten nor more than eighteen other members, at least half of whom shall be appointed by reason of their qualifications in the social sciences.

(2)  Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this Article, the Chair, the Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, and the other members shall be appointed and the terms of their appointment or the revocation of any appointment determined by Our Secretary of State.

(3)  (a) Before appointing any member, including the Chair and the Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, on account of his qualifications in the social sciences, Our Secretary of State shall consult the President for the time being of the British Academy.

(b)  Before appointing any member, including the Chair and the Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, Our Secretary of State shall consult the Chair for the time being of the Council, who may consult other members of the Council as he shall see fit.

(4)  Every member, including the Chair and the Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, shall hold and vacate his office solely in accordance with the terms of his appointment, and shall, on the expiry of his term of appointment, be eligible for re-appointment but

(a)  a member shall not be appointed for a term of more than four years;

(b)  a member who is re-appointed on ceasing to be a member shall not again be eligible for re-appointment before the expiration of one year from the end of the period for which he is re-appointed: provided that this sub-paragraph shall not apply to a person appointed to serve as Chair or Chief Executive and Deputy Chair or to a person who is a civil servant or who is employed by a Research Council;

(c)  a member may at any time by notice in writing to Our Secretary of State resign his office; and

(d)  any member who is also employed as a civil servant or who is also employed by a Research Council shall hold his office only so long as he is so employed.

(5)   Except as provided in paragraph (7) of this Article, the Council shall in the case of any such member as Our Secretary of State may determine

(a)  pay to him such remuneration and allowances as may be so determined in his case; and

(b)  pay to or in respect of him such pension, allowance or gratuity on his retirement or death, or make such payments towards provision for such a pension, allowance or gratuity, as may be so determined in his case.

(6)  If a person ceases to be a member of the Council otherwise than on the expiration of his term of office, and it appears to Our Secretary of State that there are special circumstances which make it right that that person should receive compensation, the Council shall make to that person a payment of such amount as Our Secretary of State may determine.

(7)  The Council shall not in any circumstances or at any time make to or in respect of any person in his capacity as a member of the Council any payment of any kind whatsoever for or in respect of any period when he is also a member of the House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales or the Northern Ireland Assembly (when so constituted), other than a payment by way of reimbursement to him of actual out of pocket expenses previously and necessarily incurred by him in the performance of his duties as such member of the Council.

(8)  The provisions of paragraphs (5) and (6) of this article shall not apply to a member who is an officer of a Department of Our Government.

The recruitment process

The process for both Councils followed the recommendations of the Code of practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments as it applies to upper tier bodies. Both appointment processes were overseen by panels:

ESRC

Professor Adrian Smith, Director General Science and Research at DIUS (Chair)

John Neilson, Director Research Base Group

Professor Robert Burgess, Vice Chancellor, Leicester University, acted as the OCPA independent public appointments assessor; and

Baroness Onora O'Neill, President of the British Academy

After preparation of information packs for each appointment, which include details of the role and person specifications and terms and conditions and which were approved by the OCPA independent public appointments assessor, both appointments were advertised in the Sunday Times on 2 November 2008 and recruitment consultants Saxton Bampfylde conducted a search. The closing date for both competitions was 19 November. Following consideration of all the applications, each panel compiled its short list and Interviews were held for the BBSRC Chair position on 26 January and for the ESRC Chair position on
9 February. In accordance with each Council's Royal Charter, the Chairs for the time being, Dr Peter Ringrose, BBSRC, and Professor Ian Diamond, ESRC, were consulted. Recommendations were then made by each panel to the Secretary of State who considered their advice and decided whom he wished to appoint. The Secretary of State has consulted the Prime Minister who has indicated that he is content.


 
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