Parades Commission

Northern Ireland Office written question – answered at on 24 July 2015.

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Photo of Lord Laird Lord Laird Non-affiliated

To ask Her Majesty’s Government who selected the members of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; and on what grounds those members were selected.

Photo of Lord Dunlop Lord Dunlop The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland

In accordance with Schedule 1 of the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998, the Secretary of State appointed the Chair and members of the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland, based on the recommendations of a selection panel, which included independent representation.

The appointments process was regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) and run in accordance with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice.

The selection panel considered the suitability of all candidates against the published person specification and skill requirements:

“Person Specification

Outstanding individuals are sought to become Chair and members of the Parades Commission; people who can command the confidence of all sides of the community in Northern Ireland, act in controversial situations and determine courses of action, and assess the probability of future events and make clear and well informed judgements.

Essential Skills

Candidates for these demanding roles will need to demonstrate:-

§ The courage and conviction to take difficult but fair decisions in high profile and controversial circumstances;

§ The ability to build productive and respectful relationships with fellow Commissioners, colleagues and the communities which are impacted by the Commission’s decisions; and

§ A reputation for personal integrity, professional conduct and credibility, with an exceptional sense of propriety.

In addition, candidates for the Chair role need to be able to show a strong track record of leadership, and the ability to broker consensus between senior stakeholders and opposing views.”

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