§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are being applied to determine applications for appointments to the Countryside Agency after 1 April; on what date the advertisements for applicants was placed in the national press; what timescale was anticipated for drawing up the list for applicants for interview at the time the advert was first placed; when it is expected that such interviews will now take place; what measures were taken to encourage applicants in addition to the national advertising campaign and on what dates those measures were taken; what the political balance is of board members; what the political balance is intended to be after the appointments are made; and if she will make a statement. [45271]
§ Alun MichaelThe criteria applied to determine the applications for the appointments to the Countryside Agency were that applicants should have a general interest and experience of countryside issues, and preferably have specific expertise in the areas of rural business/rural enterprise, rural development or the 1025W voluntary sector. In addition we made clear that we were particularly seeking applications from candidates based in the West Midlands or South West England.
Advertisements were placed in the national press on 13 and 16 September 2001, with a closing date of 11 October 2001. Our intention was to appoint up to two candidates. In line with our normal timetable, a shortlist of candidates for possible interview was drawn up in November, four shortlisted candidates from South West England were interviewed in January and one has now been appointed. The deadline for applications from candidates based in the West Midlands was extended to 11 February 2002 and this was advertised on the DEFRA and Countryside Agency websites. We are now considering the applications from candidates based in the West Midlands, received both before and after the original deadline, and hope to interview a shortlist in May. However, there is no fixed number for the number of people on the Board, and only one member is leaving the Board in April; so we will not necessarily appoint a second person this year.
In addition to the national advertising campaign, which included information being posted on the DEFRA and Countryside Agency websites, we approached 160 organisations with an interest in countryside issues in September 2001 asking them to suggest candidates. We also made a limited number of further approaches in the West Midlands for additional suggestions in January.
Appointments to the Board of the Countryside Agency are not made on the basis of political affiliation.