Direct appointments
Published 31 May 2022
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Direct appointments made by UK government ministers
A ‘direct appointment’ is a Ministerial appointment to a non-statutory office. Direct appointments are usually made to short-term, advisory roles, for example to lead a government review or to advise on, or champion, a specific subject. Such appointments have been made under successive administrations and those holding these roles play a vital role in providing expert, independent advice to the government on a range of matters.
All appointees must follow the Seven Principles of Public Life and are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. They owe a duty of confidentiality in relation to their work for the government. departments are responsible for ensuring that consideration has been given to any actual, potential or reasonably perceived outside interests and declarations of interests are provided in confidence to enable this. As they are office holders, there is no contract of employment and the roles may be unpaid, or where justified, a payment may be made. In addition, as they are not civil servants, executive authority may not be delegated to those appointed to these roles, but their advice to civil servants and ministers may of course inform executive decision making.
Direct appointments are not public appointments (which are made by ministers to non-executive roles on the bodies and offices listed in an Order in Council (pdf, 549 KB)) and therefore the process and principles of the Governance Code do not apply. These appointments do not fall under the remit of the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments. However, in line with all decisions by ministers, usual public law principles apply to making such appointments.