§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria are used to ensure propriety in appointments; [158363]
(2) what powers he has to ensure that appointments of deputy lords lieutenant are not subject to political bias. [158362]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Lieutenancies Act 1997 requires the lord lieutenant of a county or area to notify to Her Majesty the name of any person whom he proposes to appoint as a deputy lieutenant. A commission as deputy lieutenant is not granted to that person until the lord lieutenant has been informed by the Secretary of State that Her Majesty does not disapprove of the granting of the commission. Appointments are not based on political affiliation, but on place of residence and service to the community. Lords lieutenant are advised to stand aloof from politics in their counties.
Assuming the second question relates to this issue, appointments are made on merit to satisfy these criteria.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deputy lieutenants there are in Lancashire; to what extent they are representative of all parts of Lancashire; if they are all members of one political party; how many are Lancastrians by birth; and what steps he is taking to reform the system of appointing deputy lords lieutenant. [158365]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThere are 41 lieutenants in Lancashire. They come from all parts of the county. The deputy lieutenants of a county or area are appointed by144W the lord lieutenant, subject to the Queen not disapproving of the granting of the commission. When considering the appointment of deputy lieutenants, the lord lieutenant looks at the geographical spread, to ensure that all parts of the county are represented. No information about the political affiliation of deputy lieutenants is held, though appointments are based not on political affiliation but on place of residence and service to the community. Information about how many of the county's deputy lieutenants are Lancastrians by birth is not held. Lords lieutenant are specifically advised that within each county or area, deputy lieutenants should be widely representative of its life in social range, gender, ethnic mix and service to the community.