. .
Links
Public Appointments in Wales

OCPANI
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.
OCPAS
The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland

The Commissioner for Public Appointments

The Seven Code Principles

The Seven Principles underpin the Code of Practice and are the foundations of the public appointments process. 

The Seven Principles underpin the Code of Practice and are the foundations of the public appointments process.  The Seven Principles are as follows:-

  • Ministerial Responsibility – the ultimate responsibility for appointments is with Ministers.
  • Merit – All public appointments should be governed by the overriding principle of selection based on merit, by the well-informed choice of individuals who, through their abilities, experience and qualities, match the need of the public body in question.
  • Independent Scrutiny – No appointment will take place without first being scrutinised by an independent panel or by a group including membership independent of the department filling the post.
  • Equal opportunities -  Departments should sustain programmes to deliver equal opportunities principles.
  • Probity – Board members of public bodies must be committed to the principles and values of public service and perform their duties with integrity.
  • Openness and Transparency – The principles of open government must be applied to the appointments process; its working must be transparent and information must be provided about the appointments made.
  • Proportionality - The appointments procedures need to be subject to the principle of proportionality, that is they should be appropriate for the nature of the post and the size and weight of its responsibilities.

These Seven Principles are derived directly from recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life chaired by Lord Nolan in its First Report, May 1995 and the so-called Nolan Principles.

Previous Page

 .