Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance the Cabinet Office public appointments team has provided on practices relating to the removal of regulated public appointees from office; and whether associated guidance has been produced further to the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments has no direct role in the decision making of individual public appointments, including their removal from office. The Commissioner’s functions, as set out in the Public Appointments Order in Council and the Governance Code on Public Appointments, is to provide independent assurance that public appointments are made in accordance with the Principles of Public Appointments and the processes set out in the Code.

The principle and processes for making regulated public appointments are set out in the Governance Code. The Cabinet Office has not issued specific guidance relating to the termination of individuals’ appointments.