Pre-Appointment Scrutiny Information
The preferred candidate for the post of HMCIP will be subject to scrutiny by the Justice Select Committee prior to appointment. The successful candidate is appointed by Her Majesty the Queen on the recommendation of the Secretary of State.
Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of our most significant public appointments. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
The pre-appointment scrutiny aspect of the appointment has two parts.
First, information concerning the appointment and the Minister’s preferred candidate will be shared with the relevant select committee. As part of this process you will need to be content for your name and your CV to be shared with the Select Committee as the Government’s preferred candidate. You may also be required to complete a pre-appointment hearing questionnaire which could include, among other things:
- declarations of any relevant potential conflicts of interest;
- what you see as the priorities and key risks for the organisation;
- questions about how you would lead the organisation and work with stakeholders; and
- your commitment to standards in public life and how you would handle being in the public eye.
Normally any information provided to the select committee by the Government or a candidate will be published.
Second, it is likely that the select committee will decide to call the Government’s preferred candidate to a public hearing before the select committee to answer questions relating to their suitability to the role. You would not be expected to have an in-depth technical knowledge of how the body works or an exact plan of what you would do in the role, however you will be expected to provide a credible representation of your understanding of the work of the body and what your role in its future would be.
The proposed date for a pre-appointment hearing for this role is expected to be held in mid-September.
The Government is committed to making the public appointments process as accessible as possible so that no one is deterred from applying. The Department will provide support to you to help you prepare for the hearing and the clerks to the select committee will also be available to discuss with you how the hearing will run. You will also be supported by the Department in working with the select committee should you require any adjustment to enable you to participate fully in the hearing process.
For more information about pre-appointment scrutiny, please see the ‘Cabinet Office Guidance: Pre-appointment scrutiny by House of Commons Select Committees’.
The Liaison Committee also publishes guidelines to select committees for pre-appointment.
You may also find it helpful to review the Code of Conduct for board members of public bodies here which sets out the expectations which the Government places on non-executive members of public bodies.
Tenure:
Public appointments are offered on a fixed term basis. We do this to ensure that the leadership of our public bodies is regularly refreshed and that the Judicial Appointments Commission can benefit from new perspectives and ideas.
The appointment will run for three years with the possibility of reappointment for a further term subject to satisfactory appraisal and at the discretion of Ministers.
In line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments, there is a strong presumption that no individual should serve more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years.
Remuneration, Allowances and Abatement:
The remuneration for this role is £577 per day with a time commitment of two days per week.
Remuneration is subject to deductions of tax and National Insurance contributions at source. The role is not pensionable. In some circumstances your remuneration may be abated if you receive a public service pension. You will need to seek advice from your pension provider about this. Reasonable standard travel expenses will be payable.
Reasonable travel expenses will be paid for journeys from home to the main office, if Commissioners live outside of London. Travel and subsistence allowances may be payable on the same basis as that applicable to civil servants where the post holder is required to travel to other locations or stay overnight in the course of their duties.
Standards in Public Life:
Public appointees are required to uphold the Committee on Standards and the Seven Principles of Public Life. You are also expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.
Feedback:
Please note that it is not possible to provide specific, individually tailored feedback following the sift stage but we will provide, on request, feedback to those who are interviewed.
Interviews:
Interviews may take place via MS Teams. If you accept an invitation to interview, we will take two references in advance of the interview. By providing the details of two referees you are consenting to us approaching them in this way.
If you cannot attend an interview on one of the dates shown, please advise us as soon as you can. It may be possible to arrange an alternative date at the discretion of the AAP. Please note, if travel is required to attend interviews, travel expenses are not reimbursed. The Secretary of State or another Minister may ask to meet each of the candidates before or after interview.
If called for interview, the AAP will explore your experience and expertise to determine whether you meet the essential criteria for the role. You may be asked to deliver a short presentation at the commencement of the interview. This will be confirmed in your invitation to interview letter.
Security Clearance:
For the successful candidate, confirmation of appointment will be subject to basic clearance checks, covering confirmation of identity and right to work in the UK plus a criminal record check. This will involve completion of several paper and electronic forms and can take up to five weeks to process following completion of the forms.