Appendix 1
Letter to the Chairman from the Rt Hon Hilary
Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Chair of Natural England
I am writing to advise you that, following a recruitment
process conducted in accordance with the Commissioner for Public
Appointments Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to
Public Bodies, Mr Poul Christensen CBE is the Government's preferred
candidate as Chair of Natural England. Mr Christensen has been
Natural England's Acting Chair since the untimely death of Sir
Martin Doughty in March.
In line with the pilot announced in January 2008
for scrutiny of key positions in which Parliament has an interest,
I now invite your Committee to hold a public scrutiny hearing
on Mr Christensen's suitability for this appointment at the earliest
opportunity (and I understand that a provisional date of 21 October
has already been set for this). I look forward to receiving the
Committee's report in due course.
I am copying this letter to Alan Williams in his
role as Chairman of the Liaison Committee.
August 2009
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