§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his Department's policy regarding the use of executive search consultants in making appointments to public bodies; and if he will list(a) the appointments where such consultants have been used and (b) the cost in each case in the period April 1992 to December 1993.
Mr. Robert G. HughesIt is the policy of my Department to follow the guidance provided in the "Guide on Public Appointments Procedures" which advises that the use of executive search consultants is one option which may be appropriate for certain full and some part-time posts.
Executive search consultants were used for the appointments of the Director General of the Research Councils and chief executives of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. The total cost was £78,960 including VAT. This fee was negotiated to cover all four appointments and it is not possible to disaggregate the figure.