AQW 10503/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 19/04/2024
Answered On Date: 01/05/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister on what date, at the latest, the new Commissioner for Public Appointments will be appointed.

Answer:

In May 2021 a public appointment competition was launched for the role of Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland (CPANI), although an appointment decision was not reached prior to the end of the last mandate.

In the absence of an Executive, CPANI was added to the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022 list of specified offices to allow the appointment function to be exercised by the Secretary of State. However, this did not happen prior to the recent return of the Executive.

The appointing authority for CPANI has therefore now reverted to the First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly. We will shortly be considering plans for the way forward regarding filling the post.