Pre-appointment hearings

This Commons Library briefing paper outlines the role that select committees play in assessing the suitability of the Government’s favoured candidates for a number of public appointments.  It sets out the guidance for their operation before summarising key hearings of interest, where a committee has raised doubts about the suitability of a candidate.  It also includes information about the introduction of the present system of pre-appointment hearings and highlights research about their effectiveness.

Pre-appointment hearings

Business Appointment Rules

Plans for reform of the Business Appointment Rules were published by the Government on 20 July 2023. Ministers and civil servants leaving office are subject to rules regarding appointment in other sectors. These rules exist to prevent former civil servants and ministers being able to profit from their knowledge of and contacts within Whitehall, and to prevent any perception of wrongdoing. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACoBA) administers the rules.

Business Appointment Rules

  • Research Briefing

    The Commissioner for Public Appointments

    This Commons Library Briefing Paper sets out the role and remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. It summarises the changes made to the public appointments system in recent years and debates about the development of the role. William Shawcross, the new Commissioner, was appointed in 2021.

  • Research Briefing

    Flags: the Union Flag and Flags of the United Kingdom

    Flags, national and other, have an ongoing cultural significance. The Union Flag, commonly known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Flying of flags is not the subject of statute law in England, Wales or Scotland. Advice is issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on flying of flags on government buildings, apart from those which are the responsibility of a devolved administration. This was recently updated so that the Union flag will normally be flown every day. In Northern Ireland there is legislation on flag flying.

  • Research Briefing

    Public Bodies

    As of March 2019, 295 public bodies were in operation across the UK government. Most public bodies within the United Kingdom are established and operated by the government, with varying levels of autonomy and ministerial responsibility according to their classification. Brexit means that many functions previously carried out by EU agencies will become the responsibility of existing UK bodies. A number of new public bodies are also being created to manage additional responsibilities after EU exit.

  • Research Briefing

    Ministerial Directions

    Ministerial directions are a potential part of the process of approving expenditure of public money. Use of ministerial directions is rare, but preparations for Brexit have included an instruction to Accounting Officers to include them in planning for approval of spending in advance of Royal Assent to relevant legislation.

  • Research Briefing

    Members of the House of Commons since 1979

    Since the 1979 General Election, there have been 2,128 people elected to the House of Commons. Of these, 403 have been women and 1,725 have been men. This publication lists all Members of the House of Commons starting from the 1979 General Election which took place on the 3 May. It is a new edition of our 2010 publication.

  • Research Briefing

    Honours: History and reviews

    Honours awarded today are mostly part of the Order of the British Empire, which was established in 1917. Almost from the beginning there was controversy about who should receive honours and suggestions of impropriety, particularly in the award of honours for political service. This briefing provides an introduction to the various types of honours. It sets out the recent revival of the award of honours for parliamentary and political service. It also explains how an honour may be removed and summarises reviews of the system.

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