Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government through what process the post of the Children’s Commissioner for England is filled; what the term of appointment is; whether the appointment is renewable; and if so, how many times the appointment can be renewed.

Paragraph 3 (1) of Schedule 1 of the Children Act 2004 states that the Children’s Commissioner is to be appointed by the Secretary of State.

The Children's Commissioner for England is a significant public appointment. This means the appointment process must adhere to the requirements of the Governance Code for Public Appointments, and that the preferred candidate is subject to scrutiny by the Education Select Committee.

Paragraph 3 (4) and (5) of Schedule 1 of the Children Act 2004 (“the 2004 Act”) states that a Commissioner can only be appointed for a maximum term of up to six years, and that a person who has previously held office as the Children’s Commissioner may not be considered for reappointment.