HC Deb 06 May 1998 vol 311 cc704-5
4. Fiona Mactaggart (Slough)

What background checks are conducted on people who are appointed to public bodies. [39792]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service (Mr. Peter Kilfoyle)

The selection process for public appointments assesses the merit of candidates, their ability to maintain standards in public life, and any potential bars to their appointment. As part of this process, Departments may take up references and make other background checks where that is justified by the nature of the post.

Fiona Mactaggart

I thank the Minister for that reply. Is he confident that the requirements in the code of practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and practice in general, are sufficiently rigorous in relation to taking up references? It seems to me that it should be the normal practice to take up references, especially references from most recent employers, for people seeking appointment to public bodies. Would the Minister commend that practice to Ministers in other Departments who make such appointments?

Mr. Kilfoyle

I would certainly commend that practice. I should also point out that the code of practice is working well, and that the commissioner has played an important role in bringing it into effect. I should also tell my hon. Friend that it is for the Department responsible for the public body in question to ensure that the guidance from the Cabinet Office is followed.

Sir Patrick Corinack (South Staffordshire)

Bearing in mind the fact that at least three notable ladies— Baroness Jay, Baroness Hayman and Brenda Dean— owed their appointments to health bodies to the previous Government, can the Minister tell the House on how many occasions political allegiance has been taken into account in appointing people to and dismissing people from public bodies over the past year?

Mr. Kilfoyle

A question about political appointments would have been better addressed to the Conservative Government. Under the present Government, appointments are made strictly on the basis of merit, and the overwhelming majority of appointments made are non-political, involving people who make a contribution through public bodies to the public life of this country.

Mr. Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)

Does the Minister agree that if we are to modernise this country, the CVs of applicants should show that they are not only IT compliant but millennium compliant?

Mr. Kilfoyle

That would be a testing proposition were we to apply it to Conservative Members— we should start with their compliance and computer literacy.