House of Lords Appointments Commission
The non-party political members of the Appointments Commission were appointed through open competition following guidelines set down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Lord (Michael) Jay of Ewelme GCMG (Chairman)
Michael Jay has been an Independent Crossbench member of the House of Lords since 2006 and was appointed Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission in July 2008. He is a non-executive director of Associated British Foods, Candover Investments, Credit Agricole SA, EDF SA, Valeo SA, and Chair of the medical aid charity Merlin. Following a career in the Foreign Office he was British Ambassador in Paris from 1996-2001, Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Office from 2002-2006 and the Prime Minister's Personal Representative for the G8 in 2005 and 2006. He is an Honorary Fellow of Magdalen College Oxford and was a Senior Associate Member of St Antony's College Oxford in 1996.
Baroness (Jane) Campbell of Surbiton DBE
Jane Campbell progressed through a number of local government equal opportunities roles, principally focusing on disability human rights issues before being appointed as an Independent Consultant on Direct Payments (1994-96). She then co-directed the National Centre for Independent Living before becoming the founding Chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (2001-2005). She served as a Commissioner to the Disability Rights Commission for its duration (2000-2007), and then served as Commissioner of the Equalities & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) from 2007-2009. She is currently working with the government on developing legislation and practical guidance to extend choice and control for disabled people over their public service support. She was appointed as a cross bench peer in 2007.
John Low has a mix of public and private sector experience, notably as Chief Executive of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) (1999-2007), before taking over as Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) later that year. He has been Chairman of ACEVO since 2003. His early career was in research and in science-based roles in the private sector. He became a Director in charge of R&D for a Swiss technology business, Sortex in 1988, and left in 1999 to join RNID, firstly as a Director before being promoted to Chief Executive.
Joan Higgins' academic career in social and health policy at Southampton and then Manchester, sits alongside significant healthcare advisory work and part-time appointments. She was Chair of the Christie Hospital NHS Trust (2002-2007), a leading cancer centre. Since 2007, she has been Chair of the NHS Litigation Authority, which defends the NHS against claims of clinical (and other) negligence. She is also a member of the Queen's Counsel Selection Panel for the Ministry of Justice.
Lord (Douglas) Hurd of Westwell (Conservative)
Lord Hurd is Deputy Chairman of Coutts & Co and Honorary President of the Prison Reform Trust. He was Foreign Secretary between 1989 and 1995 and also served as Home Secretary and Northern Ireland Secretary.
Baroness (Brenda) Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde (Labour)
Baroness Dean is Chairman of Covent Garden Market Authority and Trustee of the East Foundation. She is also a Non-Executive Director of Taylor Wimpey plc and Dawson Holdings plc. She was appointed a Partnership, Non-Executive Director of National Air Traffic Control Services (NATS) in July 2006.
Lord (Navnit) Dholakia (Liberal Democrat)
Lord Dholakia is Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Lords, President of the National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders, Vice-Chairman of the Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity and Vice-President of the Mental Health Foundation. Previously he has held appointments with the Commission for Racial Equality and the Police Complaints Authority.
