MPs have called for regulatory changes to ensure greater scrutiny of public appointments and for government not to rely on “establishment figures” following the “hasty” appointment of Baroness Stowell as Charity Commission chair in February.
In March the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into pre-appointment hearings to consider the implication of changes to the powers and role of the Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments following the Grimstone review in 2016.
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, which has oversight of the charity sector, has submitted written evidence and said concerns it raised about Stowell’s appointment were “dismissed immediately” by culture secretary Matt Hancock without being taken into account.
The committee formally rejected the government’s choice of Stowell as its preferred candidate in February after holding a pre-appointment hearing and raising concerns about her lack of political neutrality and sector experience.
However, Hancock swiftly pressed ahead with Stowell’s appointment, without the committee feeling he had appropriately addressed their concerns.
In a submission to Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC)'s inquiry on pre-appointment hearings yesterday, the DCMS committee said: “This dismissal was made directly to the press rather than to the committee.
“The committee received no prior warning of this decision, nor any substantive response to the concerns we raised.
“When the committee again sought a reply to our individual concerns, the secretary of state’s response failed to meaningfully address any of our four major reservations about the candidate’s suitability for the role.”
Rule change
The committee said its powers to scrutinise candidates had been weakened since the 2016 Grimstone Review, which awarded ministers “further power to override the pre-appointment decisions of select committees”.
It called for Parliament to introduce a standing order to require ministers to debate an appointment for 90 minutes in the House of Commons, if a committee rejects the government’s desired candidate.
The committee also urged the government not to rely on “establishment figures” for future appointments to senior public roles.
It said: “The government must come to understand that this issue is not simply defined by the appointment of candidates who have held senior office in political, financial or professional organisations.
“Rather, it is the appointment of candidates who have held roles that exist in close proximity with corridors of power, including the very figures responsible for making senior public appointments, that bring into question the integrity of the government’s commitment to a diversity of qualified candidates.”
PACAC's inquiry into pre-appointment hearings opened on 23 March and is accepting written submissions until 4 May.
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