Dame Glenys Stacey selected as preferred Chair for Office for Environmental Protection

Dame Glenys Stacey has been selected as the Government’s preferred candidate to become the Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection, Secretary of State George Eustice has confirmed.

Dame Glenys has been selected following a rigorous process which was conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments. A panel of five assessed each of the candidates prior to consideration by the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State has invited both the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee and Environmental Audit Committee to hold a joint pre-appointment hearing and to report on the suitability of Dame Glenys for the post. Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of the most significant public appointments made by ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny, to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select Committee to take evidence from a minister’s preferred candidate before they are appointed. The Select Committee will then publish a report setting out their views on the candidate’s suitability for the post. Ministers consider the Committee’s views before deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Dame Glenys has not declared any significant political activity in the past five years.

The Office for Environmental Protection

• The Environment Bill will create a new, independent statutory body with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and the improvement of the natural environment. It will provide the necessary legal authority to implement long-term environmental governance
• The OEP will provide scrutiny and advice on the implementation of environmental law. It will also monitor and report on progress against Environmental Improvement Plans and targets
• The OEP will be able to receive and investigate complaints on alleged serious breaches of environmental law by public authorities. It will also be able to take legal action in serious cases if necessary as a last resort

Biographical details of Dame Glenys Stacey

• Dame Glenys Stacey is (until 31 December) acting Chief Regulator at Ofqual, having re-joined in late August 2020. Dame Glenys has previously served as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation and as Chief Executive at Animal Health (now part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency)
• In 2019, Dame Glenys chaired an independent review of farm regulation at the request of the then Secretary of State for Defra. Most recently, Dame Glenys served as chair of the Professional Standards Authority
• A solicitor by profession, she has a wealth of CEO and regulatory experience, having led the start-up or development of a number of public-sector organisations responsible for legal or regulatory services
• Dame Glenys was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire in the New Year’s honours list in 2016 recognising her services to Education