Paragraph 3.3 of the Governance Code allows, in exceptional circumstances, for Ministers to appoint a candidate without a competition following a consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
There is a requirement in the Governance Code for Ministers to make the decision public alongside their reasons for doing so. The Commissioner publishes a list of appointments made without competition, setting out the department, public body, role, length, and rationale. This list is updated at least quarterly, following announcements of exceptional appointments by government. The appointments made without a competition for the previous three financial years are published below. For older lists, please refer to the relevant annual report.
Number | Department | Body | Role | Length | Rationale |
1 | Department of Business and Trade (DBT) | Post Office | Interim Chair | 12 months | Continuity of operations and ongoing inquiry delaying recruitment |
2 | Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) | English Severn & Wye RFCC | Interim Chair | 1 month | Planned recruitment |
3 | Home Office | Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration | Interim Chief Inspector | 6 months | Unplanned vacancy |
4 | Defra | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | Interim Chair | 6 months | Unplanned vacancy |
5 | Department for Education (DfE) | Social Work England | Interim Chair | 6 months | Continuity of operations and the General Election delaying recruitment |
6 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) | Climate Change Committee | Interim Chair | 6 months | Complying with statutory requirements and the General Election delaying recruitment |
7 | Ministry of Defence (MoD) | Northern Ireland VAPC | Interim Chair | 5 months | Continuity of operations and the General Election delaying recruitment |
8 | DfE | DfE Departmental Board | Non-executive Board Member (NEBM) | 3 years | Expertise and need for a departmental board post-election |
9 | DfE | Office for Students (OfS) | Interim Chair | 10 months | Unplanned vacancy |
10 | Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) | DHSC Departmental Board | NEBM | 3 years | Expertise and need for a departmental board post-election |
11 | DHSC | NHS Pay Review Body | Interim Chair | 12 months | The General Election impacting planned recruitment campaign |
12 | Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) | UK Research and Innovation | Interim Executive Chair | 6 months | The General Election impacting planned recruitment campaign |
13 | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) | Building Digital UK (BDUK) | Interim Chair | 6 months | Unplanned vacancy |
14 | DCMS | Horserace Betting Levy Board | Interim Chair | 9 months | Unplanned vacancy |
15 | Welsh Government | Powys Teaching Health Board | Independent Member | 4 months | Planned recruitment |
16 | DSIT | DSIT Departmental Board | NEBMs | 9 months | Expertise and need for a departmental board post-election |
17 | DESNZ | Climate Change Committee | Members | 3 years | Expertise and operational efficacy |
18 | Welsh Government | Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales | Acting Chair | 1 year | Continuity of operations |
19 | Ministry of Justice (MoJ) | Youth Justice Board | Board Member (with experience and knowledge of Wales) | 12 months | Planned recruitment, need for expertise, and compliance with legislation |
20 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | MHCLG Departmental Board | Lead NED | 1 year | Expertise and need for a departmental board post-election |
21 | MoJ | Victims’ Commissioner | Victims’ Commissioner | 14 months | The General Election interrupting planned recruitment |
22 | Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) | Pensions Ombudsman | Deputy Ombudsman | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
23 | MoJ | Judicial Pension Board | Interim Chair | 8 months | Unplanned vacancy |
24 | Defra | Marine Management Organisation | Interim Chair | 9 months | The General Election delaying planned recruitment and compliance with legislation |
25 | Attorney-General’s Office (AGO) | HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate | Interim Chief Inspector | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
26 | Home Office | Migration Advisory Committee | Deputy Chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment pending review of MAC framework document |
27 | Defra | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | Interim Chair | 8 Months | The General Election interrupting planned recruitment and compliance with legislation |
28 | Home Office | Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration | Interim Chief Inspector | 4 months | Planned recruitment |
29 | DBT | DBT Departmental Board | NEBM | 3 years | Expertise |
Number | Department | Body | Role(s) | Length | Rationale |
1 | Attorney-General’s Office | HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate | Chief Inspector | 9 months | Unplanned vacancy |
2 | Cabinet Office | Senior Salaries Review Body | Chair and 2 members | 5 months, 6 months and 12 months | Planned recruitment and to ensure continuity |
3 | DCMS | Historic Royal Palaces | Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
4 | DCMS | British Broadcasting Corporation | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
5 | DCMS | Big Lottery Fund (The National Lottery Community Fund) | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
6 | DCMS | Geffrye Museum | Chair | 6 months | Unplanned vacancy |
7 | DCMS | Sianel Pedwar Cymru (S4C) | Chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
8 | DCMS | Victoria and Albert Museum | Chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
9 | Defra | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
10 | Defra | Regional Flood and Coastal Committees | Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
11 | Defra | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
12 | Defra | Covent Garden Market Authority | Chair | 4 months | Planned recruitment |
13 | Defra | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | Chair | 3 months | Unplanned vacancy |
14 | DESNZ | Nuclear Decommissioning Authority | Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
15 | DESNZ | Climate Change Committee | Chair | 9 months | Planned recruitment |
16 | DESNZ | UK Atomic Energy Authority | Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
17 | DESNZ | Climate Change Committee | Chair | 9 months | Planned recruitment |
18 | DfE | Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) | Chief Regulator | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
19 | DfE | Ofqual | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
20 | DfE | Social Work England | Chair | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
21 | DfT | National Highways Limited | Chair | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
22 | DHSC | Food Standards Agency | Deputy chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
23 | DHSC | NHS England | Member | 8 months | To ensure continuity |
24 | DHSC | NHS Pay Review Body | Chair | 7 months | Planned recruitment |
25 | DSIT | Natural Environment Research Council | Executive Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
26 | DSIT | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council | Executive Chair | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
27 | DSIT | Medical Research Council | Executive Chair | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
28 | DWP | Pensions Ombudsman | Deputy Ombudsman | 18 months | To ensure continuity |
29 | DWP | Pensions Ombudsman | Deputy Ombudsman | 9 months | To ensure continuity |
30 | DWP | Office for Nuclear Regulation | Chair | 18 months | Unplanned vacancy |
31 | DWP | Departmental Board of the Department for Work and Pensions | Lead NED | 18 months | Planned recruitment |
32 | Home Office | Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner | Commissioner | 7 months | Body being disestablished |
33 | MoD | Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees | Chair | 5 months | Unplanned vacancy |
34 | MoD | Defence Nuclear Safety Expert Committee | Chair | 12 months | To ensure continuity |
35 | MoD | Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees | Chair | 5 months | Unplanned vacancy |
36 | MoD | Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees | Chair | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
37 | MoJ | Sentencing Council for England and Wales | Member | 6 months | Unplanned vacancy |
38 | MoJ | Parole Board | Six members | 2 for 2 years, 2 for 3 years, 2 for 4 years | To ensure continuity |
39 | MoJ | HM Chief Inspector of Probation | Chief Inspector | 5 months | Unplanned vacancy |
40 | MoJ | Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses (Victims’ Commissioner) | Victims’ Commissioner | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
41 | MoJ | Independent Monitoring Authority | Chair | 9 months | Unplanned vacancy |
42 | MoJ | Sentencing Council for England and Wales | Member | 5 years | To ensure continuity |
43 | Welsh Government | Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust | Vice chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
44 | Welsh Government | Hywel Dda University Health Board | Chair | 4 months | Planned recruitment |
45 | Welsh Government | Welsh Ambulance Services National Health Service Trust | Vice chair | 9 months | Planned recruitment |
46 | Welsh Government | Powys Teaching Health Board | Member | 7 months | Unplanned vacancy |
47 | Welsh Government | Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales | Chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
Number | Department | Body | Role | Length | Rationale |
1 | Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) | Post Office | Chair | 2 months | Planned recruitment |
2 | Cabinet Office | Senior Salaries Review Board | Chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
3 | Cabinet Office | Senior Salaries Review Board | Member | 10 months | Planned recruitment |
4 | Cabinet Office | Civil Services Pensions Board | Chair | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
5 | DCMS | Museum of the Home | Chair | 2 months | Planned recruitment |
6 | DCMS | Museum of the Home | Chair | 6 weeks | Planned recruitment |
7 | DCMS | Historic Royal Palaces | Chair | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
8 | DCMS | British Tourist Authority | Chair | 3 months | Planned recruitment |
9 | DCMS | Visit England Advisory Board | Chair | 9 months | Planned recruitment |
10 | DCMS | Gambling Commission | Chair | 9 months | Unplanned vacancy |
11 | Defra | Covent Garden Market Authority | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
12 | DfE | Social Work England | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
13 | Department for Transport | West Mids Traffic Commissioner | Office Holder | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
14 | DHSC | NHS Resolution | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
15 | DHSC | NHS Resolution | Chair | 3 months | Unplanned vacancy |
16 | DHSC | NHS England | Member | 16 months | New public body |
17 | DHSC | NHS England | Member | 8 months | New Public Body |
18 | DHSC | Health Education England | Member | 12 months | Body being disestablished |
19 | NHS Improvement England | Croydon NHS Trust | Member | 12 months | Specific expertise |
20 | NHS Improvement England | Notts University NHS Trust | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
21 | NHS Improvement England | West London NHS Trust | Member | 2 years | Unplanned vacancy |
22 | Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) | Regulator of Social Housing | Member | 12 months | To ensure continuity |
23 | DLUHC | Building Regs Advisory Cttee | Member | 19 months | Body being disestablished |
24 | DLUHC | Valuation Tribunal Service | Member | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
25 | DWP | Pensions Ombudsman | Office Holder | 12 months | To ensure continuity |
26 | DWP | Office for Nuclear Regulation | Member | 12 months | Planned recruitment |
27 | HM Treasury | Financial Conduct Authority | Chair | 2 months | Planned recruitment |
28 | Home Office | Technical Advisory Board | Member | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
29 | MoD | Independent Monitoring Board for the Military Corrective Training Centre | 2 members | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
30 | MoD | North East VAPC | Chair | 11 months | Unplanned vacancy |
31 | MoD | Scotland VAPC | Chair | 9 months | Unplanned vacancy |
32 | MoD | Scotland VAPC | Chair | 5 months | Unplanned vacancy |
33 | MoD | South West VAPC | Chair | 9 months | Unplanned vacancy |
34 | MoD | London VAPC | Chair | 5 months | Unplanned vacancy |
35 | MoJ | Prisons and Probation Ombudsman | Office holder | 10 months | Planned recruitment |
36 | MoJ | Judicial Pensions Board | Chair | 11 months | Unplanned vacancy |
37 | UK Export Finance | Export Guarantees Advisory Council | Chair | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |
38 | Welsh Government | Public Health Wales | Member | 9 months | Planned recruitment |
39 | Welsh Government | Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales | Chair and Member | 2 years; 10 months | Planned recruitment |
40 | Welsh Government | Natural Resources Wales | 2 members | 6 months | Planned recruitment |
41 | Welsh Government | Higher Education Funding Council Wales | Chair | 12 months | New public body |
42 | Welsh Government | Betsi Cadwaladr Uni Health Board | Chair and 3 members | 12 months | Unplanned vacancy |