Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the advisory assessment panel for the appointment of the new Chair of Ofcom will include a member who is independent of Government; and if she will publish the names of panel members.

The advisory assessment panel for the appointment of the new Ofcom Chair is constituted in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. In consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the panel includes a Senior Independent Panel Member who does not hold a ministerial or departmental role, and whose remit is to provide assurance that the process is fair, open and merit-based. The names of all panel members are included in the role advert which is published on gov.uk.