Guidance

UK National Contact Point (UK NCP) steering board: terms of appointment

Updated 27 November 2020

1. Status

You are appointed as a member of the UK NCP steering board. This appointment does not mean that you are an employee of the Department or the Crown.

2. Period of appointment

Your term of appointment begins on 3 January 2018 and will end on 3 January 2021. Should the UK NCP steering board be dissolved, restructured or wound up during the period of your appointment, your appointment may be affected accordingly.

To maintain high standards of public life any appointments made under the terms of this note may be terminated if:

• an appointee is convicted of a criminal offence
• it is evident that the appointee’s conduct or associations means they are no longer a suitable person to participate on the UK NCP steering board
• the continued appointment is likely to bring the UK NCP into disrepute

3. Grounds for renewal of appointment

Subject to a review of the position before the end of your current term, you may be eligible for reappointment for a further term. There is no guarantee of reappointment, and the maximum period of appointment must not exceed 10 years.

4. Minimum level of commitment required

The UK NCP steering board meets 4 times per year.

The meetings themselves last approximately 2 hours (normally in the morning) and will usually be held in London.

In addition to this, the steering board may be required to meet on an ad hoc basis should there be a review required outside of the quarterly meetings. Alternate members need only attend should their corresponding full member be unable to.

5. Conflicts of interest

The Nolan Principles of Public Life, which are the foundations of the public appointments process and provide guidance on the standards expected of public appointees, apply to this appointment.

You must declare any personal or business interests which may, or may be perceived to, influence your judgment in performing your functions.

6. Transparency and openness

In line with the Cabinet Office Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, the steering board will operate in an open and transparent manner. In the interests of transparency and openness, it is natural and right that you may wish to feed back to your constituency, subject to confidentiality requirements.

7. Confidentiality

The appointment carries with it a duty of confidentiality in relation to the information you receive.

You must not disclose any information which is confidential in nature, or which is provided in confidence, without authority.

Additionally, you must not use official information gained during the course of your duties for personal gain or political purposes and this includes disclosing information acquired during the course of your duties to any organisations you may have an interest in or are associated with.

You must also have regard to your duty of confidentiality should you wish to feed back to your constituency.

Confidentiality and misuse of information duties continue to apply after you have left the steering board.

8. Conduct

All steering board members have a duty regarding conduct, propriety and confidentiality.

You will be required as a condition of your appointment to abide by the terms of this letter of appointment. All members of the UK NCP steering board are expected to value diversity and equality and to demonstrate commitment during their appointment.

9. Attendance

Each member of the UK NCP steering board is expected to attend the meetings regularly. The appointment may be terminated without notice if erratic attendance begins to interfere with the good running of the steering board.