Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the Chair of the Charities Commission has suitable experience of the Third Sector.

The role of Charity Commission Chair were assessed by the Advisory Assessment Panel against the published selection criteria for the role as per Paragraph 5.3 of the Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointments. The published essential criteria are as follows:

• to be an accessible and engaging ambassador for the organisation, and have the ability to influence high level stakeholders within government and Parliament, the media, the charity sector and the business world;
• the ability to make strategic decisions within a complex and shifting external landscape;
• a commitment to the charity sector’s effective, independent, proportionate, and impartial regulation;
• the ability to provide a high quality service and deliver value for money for the taxpayer;
• an understanding of and interest in the charity sector, including an awareness of the multifaceted challenges it faces resulting from changing social and economic circumstances;
• the skills to lead a Board and support the leadership of a high profile organisation by providing strategic guidance and effective challenge;
• the ability to support the organisation through a period of significant change and cultural development as demonstrated by experience in either the private or charity/not for profit sector;
• the ability to apply strategic insight and constructive challenge to the Executive team’s plans across wide-ranging strategy, delivery and organisational issues; and
• personal integrity and resilience, demonstrable independence and other attitudes consistent with the expectations of senior public office in a high profile role

  
  
  

The successful candidate met the criteria for the role as assessed by the Assessment Advisory Panel.