Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 19 January 2018 to Question 122911 on British Telecom, on what date position of Crown Representative to BT plc (a) became vacant and (b) was filled.

The position of Crown Representative to BT became vacant on 30 September 2016 and was filled on 9 January 2018.

The Crown Representatives comprise a vital component of the Strategic Supplier programme. They are not politically appointed but are contractors assigned to companies where they have detailed knowledge of the sector, but where there is no conflict with other concurrent roles.

The time taken to identify and recruit high-calibre individuals who have the necessary skills and in depth knowledge required, and who have no conflict of interests with other roles, can be lengthy, but it is essential that we secure the best candidates.

While Crown Representative positions are vacant, the responsibilities of the role were covered by the Government’s Chief Commercial Officer and the Cabinet Office Director of Markets and Suppliers.