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Which “public appointments” does the Commissioner regulate?

The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the processes by which Ministers (including Welsh Assembly Government Ministers) make appointments to the boards of certain public bodies in England and Wales. She also currently regulates appointments processes in relation to some bodies in Northern Ireland. Appointments to the boards of these bodies are commonly known as public appointments.

These appointments are made by Ministers (including Welsh Assembly Government Ministers) or on behalf of Health Ministers by the Appointments Commission to health bodies. The running of the appointments process will be the responsibility of a Government department, whose civil servants may also be assisted by a recruitment consultant or, in the case of appointments to health bodies, the Appointments Commission.

These appointments may be part-time and unpaid and the terms of appointment may vary according to the nature of the public body concerned.

The Commissioner does not regulate appointments processes in relation to all public appointments. No public appointment will fall within the Commissioner’s remit unless it is to a body listed in the Schedule to the relevant Public Appointments Order in Council or has been specified by the Minister for the Cabinet Office by Instrument in Writing as falling within her remit.

Currently the types of public bodies which fall within the Commissioner’s remit are:-

• Executive non-departmental public bodies;
• Advisory non-departmental public bodies;
• health bodies;
• Public Corporations;
• Public Broadcasting Authorities;
• certain Utility Regulators;
• Non-Ministerial Departments;
• National Park Authorities in England and Wales; and
• Conservation Boards for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Click here to see a full list of bodies regulated by the Commissioner.