§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002,Official Report, column 717W, on public appointments, what information he receives on possible appointees to non-departmental public bodies prior to their appointment; and what method his Department uses to notify people of their appointment to a non-departmental public body. [44104]
§ Angela Eagle[holding answer 18 March 2002]: The procedures for making appointments to non-departmental public bodies are governed by the rules set out in the Code of Practice published by the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). This includes a requirement for each applicant to complete an application form. As well as information relevant to the specific appointment, application forms request information on ethnicity, gender and disability for monitoring purposes. The OCPA Code also requires Departments to ask all applicants to supply information on any political activity in which they have engaged in the five years prior to application.
Successful applicants receive a letter of appointment. Details of appointments to public bodies are published in press releases at the time of appointment and in the annual report of the non-departmental public body. Details of all appointments to Home Office non-departmental public bodies are published in the Home Office annual report, copies of which are placed in the Library.