Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to ensure the independence and neutrality of the Charity Commission Board when reappointing commissioners whose terms are due to end.

Mr Rob Wilson

By law, the Charity Commission for England and Wales is not subject to Ministerial direction or control, ensuring its operational independence. Several factors are considered in making appointments and reappointments to the Charity Commission board. These include taking account of the mix of skills and experience of the board as a whole, along with any conflicts of interest and any declarable political activity. For reappointments the performance of the relevant board member is also considered. Appointments and reappointments to the Charity Commission’s board are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.