Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration was given to statements on the public record made by candidates and the effect of those statements on the (a) operation and (b) standing of the Office for Students during the recruitment process for members of the board of the Office for Students.

A degree of due diligence took place ahead of all the appointments. However, neither Panel members nor the department were aware of certain comments by Toby Young before his appointment was made. These remarks were years, in some cases decades, in the past.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments, the right hon. Peter Riddell, has recently suggested that departments need to look at how they undertake due diligence. The government will be carefully considering this issue in light of his advice.