Baroness Thornton appointed to independent Advisory Committee

Baroness (Glenys) Thornton has been appointed as the Labour member of the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

She replaces Baroness (Maggie) Jones who has resigned from the committee after being appointed as a Minister jointly in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Business and Trade on 9 July.

Baroness Thornton worked in the voluntary, co-operative and private sectors for over 30 years. During her career she was General Secretary of the Fabian Society, trustee of Action for Children, Jamie Oliver's 15 Foundation and Training for Life. She was a board member of the IdEA, the Local Government Improvement agency from 1999 – 2008 and Chief Executive of The Young Foundation from 2015- 2017. Appointed to the House of Lords in 1998, Baroness Thornton was a Government Whip and Health Minister between 2008 and 2010 and held the Women and Equalities and Health brief in the Lords from May 2012. Baroness Thornton is currently a fellow of Social Innovation at the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge; and founding Chair and Patron of Social Enterprise UK.

The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments provides independent advice to the government on applications submitted under the Business Appointment Rules for the most senior civil servants and other Crown servants, and directly to former Ministers on appointments they wish to take up within two years of leaving government.

The new Member announced today will join the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments for a five year term.

Find out more about ACOBA

Notes to Editor

1. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) is independent from the government. ACOBA is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Cabinet Office. The Committee is the visible part of a much larger system. The Business Appointments Rules are owned by the Government and apply to civil servants at all levels and former Ministers on leaving public office. The majority of cases are handled by the employing Department, with ACOBA providing independent advice to the PM on applications from the most senior civil servants and directly to former Ministers.

2. The Committee publishes its advice letters detailing its consideration and any restrictions on its website once an appointment has been taken up.

3. The Committee is majority independent, with three members nominated by each of the three largest political parties in the House of Commons. The independent members and the Chair were appointed following open competition, under the Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointments. Current membership of ACOBA is The Rt Hon Lord (Eric) Pickles, Chair and Conservative member, Andrew Cumpsty, Isabel Doverty, Hedley Finn OBE, Sarah De Gay, Dawid Konotey-Ahulu CBE), Michael Prescott, Baroness (Glenys) Thornton (Labour member), Mike Weir (SNP member).