Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many applicants were considered for the position of independent member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life; and what criteria were used in making the final decision on the most recent appointment to that position on that Committee.

173 applications were received by the campaign which closed in April 2021 for two independent member vacancies on the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, an Advisory Assessment Panel, that included an independent member, carefully considered all applications against the criteria set out in the candidate pack, which is published on the Government’s Public Appointments website. The panel was chaired by Lord Evans, the Chair of the Committee.

The Panel interviewed shortlisted candidates and made recommendations to the Prime Minister on which candidates they found appointable against those criteria. The two applicants who have been appointed by the Prime Minister to take up post on 1 August 2021 were both found appointable by the Panel.