The Government’s Governance Code came into effect on 1 January 2017 and sets out the regulatory framework for public appointments processes within the Commissioner’s remit.
Unlike the previous Codes of Practice which were drawn up and published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the Governance Code on Public Appointments (PDF, 14 pages, 276 KB) was drawn up and published by HM Government in December 2016, with the most recent update in October 2025. This updated the February 2024 Governance Code (PDF, 15 pages, 132 KB).
Under the October 2025 Governance Code, the Cabinet Office has agreed to publish a list of Public Appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister. This list is to be updated annually.
The Commissioner has agreed a list of significant competitions with the Cabinet Office and the Welsh Government.
The Commissioner is consulted on exceptional appointments made without competition.