§ Lady Olga MaitlandTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures were undertaken when the Director General of the Prison Service was selected; how many candidates were considered for this post; and what criteria were used in assessing the candidates.
§ Mr. HowardThe Civil Service Commissioners are required to approve all agency chief executive appointments and the appointment of the Director General of the Prison Service was approved by them in the normal way. The appointment was advertised and an executive search conducted. The First Civil Service Commissioner chaired the selection procedure. The board considered nearly 40 candidates and interviewed five. Three were assessed as of an acceptable standard and, in view of the importance of the appointment, the procedure adopted was that the board adjourned in order to allow the then Home Secretary to meet those candidates. The board then reconvened. The appointment was a matter for my predecessor but the candidate he appointed was approved by the board under the First Civil Service Commissioner's chairmanship. The main criteria for selection were set out in the advertisement for the post: experience, most probably at chief executive level, of leading a substantial organisation in the public or private sector; a track record of successful management of large-scale change, delivering improved quality and efficiency; first-class communication skills and good judgment.