§ 21. Mr. TrimbleTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to ensure that public appointments are balanced and representative. [15041]
§ Sir John WheelerPublic appointments are made in accordance with the guidelines on public appointments in Northern Ireland which were revised in October 1995. These advise that public bodies should, as far as possible, reflect a broad community, gender, age and geographical balance. Appointments are, however, made on the basis of an individual's ability or potential to make a positive contribution to the work of the particular body concerned.
The recently appointed Commissioner for Public Appointments in Northern Ireland—and in the rest of the United Kingdom—Sir Len Peach, will audit the public appointments process to ensure that it is operating in a fair and proper way.