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Cabinet Office Minister makes new appointments to the Better Regulation Commission

Cabinet Office Minister Jim Murphy today announced six new appointments to the independent Better Regulation Commission (BRC), alongside the re–appointment of eight existing members.

The BRC is an independent body that advises the Government on better regulation and the reduction of unnecessary regulatory burdens. The new appointments will strengthen the Commission's expertise on regulation affecting business, the voluntary and community sector, and in European matters.

The six new members are:

• Steven Gould, Director of Professional Regulation and Consumer Protection at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS);
• Philip Jansen, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive of Sodexho UK & Ireland;
• Lord James Lindsay, Chair of the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS);
• Sharmit Saggar, Professor of Political Science at the University of Sussex and Non–Executive Chairman of the Consumer Complaints Board at the Law Society of England & Wales;
• Simon Walker, Director of Corporate Affairs at Reuters Group plc;
• Professor Helen Wallace, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the European University Institute, Italy.

All appointments are unpaid and run from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009.

In addition, eight of the BRC's existing members have been re–appointed until 31 March 2007: Teresa Graham, Jean Coussins, Michael Gibbons, Ian Peters, Penelope Rowlatt, Janet Russell, Eve Salomon and Sarah Veale.

Jim Murphy, Minister for the Cabinet Office said:

“These appointments will ensure that the Commission has the necessary resources and mix of skills and experience to take forward its work advising government on better regulation.”

The Better Regulation Commission – until 1 January 2006 known as the Better Regulation Task Force – has a role to ensure that regulation and its enforcement are proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted.

Rick Haythornthwaite, BRC Chairman since 1 January 2006, said

“This is an exciting time for the Commission as we take forward our work programme, in particular our focus on risk, innovation and regulation. I am encouraged by the wealth of experience and expertise that the new members will bring and look forward to working with them.”

Jim Murphy also accepted the resignation of Commission member Simon Murphy, who has stepped down due to time pressures after moving to new employment. Mr Murphy said:

“I would like to thank Simon Murphy for his contribution to the work of the Better Regulation Task Force and Commission over the last fourteen months, and wish him well for the future.”

Notes to editors

1. The Better Regulation Commission is an independent advisory body set up in 2006. Appointments are made by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, and are unpaid. A team of officials based in the Cabinet Office supports the Commission.
2. The Commission's terms of reference are: ‘To advise the Government on action to reduce unnecessary regulatory and administrative burdens and ensure that regulation and its enforcement are proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted.’
3. Please find below short biographies for the new members of the BRC:
4. Steven Gould is Director of Professional Regulation and Consumer Protection at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). He is currently rewriting RICS ' rules of professional regulation to bring them into line with better regulation principles. A graduate of Cambridge and LSE, he started his career in Whitehall as a research and policy official before becoming Corporate Relations Manager at the Consumers' Association (now Which?). Before joining RICS in 2000 he was Consumer Affairs Manager at the National House–building Council.
5. Philip Jansen is Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive of Sodexho UK & Ireland. Sodexho provide catering and support services to clients in the business and industry, education, healthcare, leisure and defence sectors. He was previously Group Chief Operating Officer at MyTravel Group plc, Managing Director of the Consumer Division at Telewest Communications Ltd and Worldwide Commercial Director at Dunlop Slazenger Group. He has a track record of achievement in UK, European and international business.
6. Lord James Lindsay is Chair of the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS). He was previously Under–Secretary of State for Scotland and House of Lords spokesperson on DEFRA issues. He is currently active in environmental and sustainability issues and has a strong interest in the use of voluntary agreements & standards to support classic regulation.
7. Professor Sharmit Saggar
   Professor Sharmit Saggar is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Sussex. He is also Non–Executive Chairman of the Consumer Complaints Board at the Law Society of England & Wales. His previous positions include Non–Executive Director at the Financial Services Authority, Non–Executive Director at the National Consumer Council, Governor of the Peabody Trust, and Non–Executive Director at the Whittington Hospital NHS Trust.
8. Simon Walker is Director of Corporate Affairs at Reuters Group plc. Previously he was Communications Secretary to HM The Queen and Director of Corporate Affairs at British Airways. He was a special adviser in the Prime Minister's Policy Unit and has lived and worked in the United States, Belgium and New Zealand where he had experience of running a small business. He read politics, philosophy and economics at Balliol College, Oxford where he was also President of the Oxford Union.
9. Professor Helen Wallace is Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the European University Institute, Italy. She has developed the Florence School of Regulation jointly with European Commission and the Council of European Energy Regulators. She combines academic expertise with practical experience of working to improve European regulation.
10. Full Commission membership as of 1 April 2006:
    Rick Haythornthwaite, Chairman – Star Capital Partners
    Teresa Graham, Deputy Chair – Independent advisor to SMEs
    Adrian Askew – Connect
    Lynne Berry – General Social Care Council
    Jean Coussins – Portman Group
    Michael Gibbons – Consultant in the utility sector
    Steven Gould – RICS
    Philip Jansen – Sodexho
    Lord James Lindsay – UKAS
    Penelope Rowlatt – Independent economist
    Janet Russell – Kirklees Metropolitan Council
    Professor Sharmit Saggar – University of Sussex
    Eve Salomon – Communications consultant
    Sarah Veale – Trades Union Congress
    Simon Walker – The Reuters Group
    Helen Wallace – European University Institute
    Victoria Younghusband – Lawrence Graham LLP
11. For further information on the Commission, please contact them directly at:
    Better Regulation Commission
    22 Whitehall
    London
    SW1A 2WH
    Email: Commission@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk
    Website: www.brc.gov.uk
12. For press enquiries on Commission members or BRC work, please contact Noor Yafai at Luther Pendragon on 020 7618 9100. For press enquiries on the appointments process, please contact Campbell McDonald at Cabinet Office Press Office on 020 7276 0311.

Tel: 020 7276 1190 – Fax: 020 7276 0618

Out of hours telephone 07699 113300 and ask for pager number 721338.

www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk