The Commissioner's remit
The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the processes by which Ministers (including Welsh Ministers) make appointments to the boards of certain public bodies and certain statutory offices in England and Wales. He also currently regulates appointments processes in relation to some bodies in Northern Ireland. Appointments to the boards of these bodies are commonly known as public appointments.
These appointments are made by Ministers (including Welsh Ministers) or on behalf of Health Ministers by the Appointments Commission to health bodies. The running of the appointments process will be the responsibility of a Government department, whose civil servants may also be assisted by a recruitment consultant.
The Commissioner does not regulate appointments processes in relation to all public appointments. No public appointment will fall within the Commissioner’s remit unless it is to a body listed in the Schedule to the relevant Public Appointments Order in Council or has been specified by the Minister for the Cabinet Office by Instrument in Writing as falling within his remit.
Currently the types of public bodies which fall within the Commissioner’s remit are:-
- Executive non-departmental public bodies;
- Advisory non-departmental public bodies;
- Certain health bodies (not Foundation Trusts);
- Public Corporations;
- Public Broadcasting Authorities;
- certain Utility Regulators;
- Non-Ministerial Departments;
- National Park Authorities in England and Wales; and
- Conservation Boards for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
A list of the bodies regulated by the Commissioner can be seen in the 2013 Public Appointments Order in Council