Committee publishes report on business appointments hearing
27 November 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The Public Administration Select Committee publishes its report on the pre-appointment hearing it held with Lord Lang of Monkton, the Prime Minister's preferred candidate for the post of Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
- Report: Selection of a new Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments
- Video and Audio: Pre-appointment hearing: Chair of Advisory Committee on Business Appointments
- Public Administration Committee
- Advisory Committee on Business Appointments
The Committee concluded that:
"We are satisfied that Lord Lang has the professional competence and personal independence required for the post of Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments as it is currently constituted. However, we have serious concerns about the appointment of a former Cabinet Minister with business appointments of his own to a role that needs the perception of independence if it is to attract public confidence. We ask the Commissioner for Public Appointments to take account of our concerns when reviewing the appointment process."
The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments was set up by the then Prime Minister in 1975 to advise him on the application of the rules on the acceptance of outside appointments to very senior members of the Civil Service and Diplomatic Service. These rules apply to those wishing to take up appointments up to two years after leaving Crown service.
As Rt Hon Ian Lang MP, Lord Lang was Secretary of State for Scotland and subsequently President of the Board of Trade during John Major’s government. He is a Conservative Member of the House of Lords.