Archive 2005

The Commissioner met with the Secretary of State today, to discuss public appointments issues in Northern Ireland.

At Parliament Buildings today, the Commissioner attended an event held by Women into Politics, where she presented certificates to participants who had successfully completed courses with the organisation.

The Commissioner attended a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Chairs Forum and gave a short presentation on the role in her office.

Felicity Huston made her first public speech as Commissioner today, at the Review of Public Administration's "Pathways to Access and Participation" conference at the Stormont Hotel.

The Commissioner has updated her Code of Practice, to amend the guidance on balancing boards. These changes appear on Pages 9 and 34 of the Code. If you have a hard copy of the Code and would like to print out these pages to update it, they can be accessed below.

Mrs Felicity Huston has taken up her appointment as Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland, succeeding Baroness Fritchie, who continues in her role as Commissioner for England and Wales.

Mrs Huston is a partner in Huston & Co Tax Consultants. She is currently a member of the House of Lords Appointment Commission and the General Commissioners of Income Tax. Mrs Huston is also involved, in a voluntary capacity, with the Belfast Charitable Society. She has not carried out any political activity in the last five years.

The Commissioner has published the report of her Short Term Working Group on Diversity. The Group's terms of reference were:

·To review the current procedures for making public appointments in Northern Ireland, with a view to identifying the obstacles which prevent people from putting themselves forward for appointment, or being successful in gaining an appointment; and

·To recommend ways by which government departments could increase the diversity of applications for, and appointments to, public bodies, whilst upholding the merit principle.