The Code of Practice
The Commissioner’s Code of Practice covers all ministerial appointments to
the boards of executive and advisory non-departmental public bodies,
NHS bodies, public
corporations, nationalised industries, and utility regulators. The clauses
2.04 and 3.36 in the Code of Practice were recently clarified and amended
in August 2005.
The Principles
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Ministerial responsibility
The ultimate responsibility for appointments is with ministers.
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Merit
All public appointments should be governed by the overriding principle of
selection based on merit, by the well-informed choice of individuals who
through their abilities, experience and qualities match the need of the
public body in question.
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Independent scrutiny
No appointment will take place without first being scrutinised by an
independent panel or by a group including membership independent of the
department filling the post.
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Equal opportunities
Departments should sustain programmes to deliver equal opportunities
principles.
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Probity
Board members of public bodies must be committed to the principles and
values of public service and perform their duties with integrity.
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Openness and transparency
The principles of open government must be applied to the appointments
process, its working must be transparent and information provided about
the appointments made.
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Proportionality
The appointments procedures need to be subject to the principle of
proportionality, that is they should be appropriate for the nature of the
post and the size and weight of its responsibilities.
Code of
Practice [PDF 179KB, 84 pages]
