To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2026 to Question 107375 on Public Appointments Commissioner: Correspondence, whether Nita Clarke made a declaration of political activity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2026 to Question 107375 on Public Appointments Commissioner: Correspondence, whether Nita Clarke made a declaration of political activity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25, published December 2025, Appendix: direct appointments, what the business case was for appointing a non-executive director for three years without open and fair competition; and if he will publish...

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25, published December 2025, Appendix: direct appointments, what the business case was for appointing a non-executive director for three years without open and fair competition; and if he will publish...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken by the Cabinet Office public appointments unit to improve processes on regulated public appointments following recent findings of breaches by the Governance Code by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken by the Cabinet Office public appointments unit to improve processes on regulated public appointments following recent findings of breaches by the Governance Code by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Cabinet Office report Public Appointments Data Report 2024–25, published on 2 December, whether the forthcoming annual report of the Public Appointments Commissioner will include political activity statistics for 2024–25.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Cabinet Office report Public Appointments Data Report 2024–25, published on 2 December, whether the forthcoming annual report of the Public Appointments Commissioner will include political activity statistics for 2024–25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has responded to the Commissioner for Public Appointment's decision notice on the Independent Football Regulator appointment of November 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government has responded to the Commissioner for Public Appointment's decision notice on the Independent Football Regulator appointment of November 2025.

My Lords, these three breaches of the appointments code are not just about trust in government. UEFA and others have made it clear that English teams’ participation in foreign competitions depends on the new regulator’s independence.

Mr Kogan certainly appears to be very lucky. He did not originally apply to be...

My Lords, these three breaches of the appointments code are not just about trust in government. UEFA and others have made it clear that English teams’ participation in foreign competitions depends on the new regulator’s independence.

Mr Kogan certainly appears to be very lucky. He did not originally apply to be...

That was quite a lot of questions in one question. I will do my best to answer the noble Lord, but on his points about UEFA and the success of the Independent Football Regulator, I want to make it very clear that the report does not question the suitability of...

That was quite a lot of questions in one question. I will do my best to answer the noble Lord, but on his points about UEFA and the success of the Independent Football Regulator, I want to make it very clear that the report does not question the suitability of...

My Lords, if we are to assume that this is cock-up and not conspiracy, can the Minister assure us of the process that will happen next time to make sure that this does not happen again? Also, it might be helpful for this ongoing situation if we could get some...

My Lords, if we are to assume that this is cock-up and not conspiracy, can the Minister assure us of the process that will happen next time to make sure that this does not happen again? Also, it might be helpful for this ongoing situation if we could get some...

The department has reviewed all appointments processes to ensure that this issue does not arise again. We will work with the Cabinet Office and the commissioner, as per the recommendation in the report. On what success looks like for the Independent Football Regulator, I know that the IFR under David...

The department has reviewed all appointments processes to ensure that this issue does not arise again. We will work with the Cabinet Office and the commissioner, as per the recommendation in the report. On what success looks like for the Independent Football Regulator, I know that the IFR under David...

My Lords, whatever the imperfections —and there manifestly were some—identified by the commission in the selection process, Mr Kogan did not apply but was invited to apply for the regulator post when it was first advertised, as the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson, just reminded us, under the previous Conservative Government....

My Lords, whatever the imperfections —and there manifestly were some—identified by the commission in the selection process, Mr Kogan did not apply but was invited to apply for the regulator post when it was first advertised, as the noble Lord, Lord Parkinson, just reminded us, under the previous Conservative Government....

There is no doubt in my mind, and I know in the minds of noble Lords from across your Lordships’ House, that David Kogan is supremely qualified for the role to which he has now been appointed. As the noble Lord highlights, he was approached under the previous Government for...

There is no doubt in my mind, and I know in the minds of noble Lords from across your Lordships’ House, that David Kogan is supremely qualified for the role to which he has now been appointed. As the noble Lord highlights, he was approached under the previous Government for...

My Lords, the Hillsborough law that this Government are introducing will make it a criminal offence for an elected official to mislead the public even if he or she did not intend to do so. Does the Minister agree that, had the Public Office (Accountability) Bill been on the statute...

My Lords, the Hillsborough law that this Government are introducing will make it a criminal offence for an elected official to mislead the public even if he or she did not intend to do so. Does the Minister agree that, had the Public Office (Accountability) Bill been on the statute...