Preferred candidate for Information Commissioner gains Committee approval
Melanie May | 1 November 2021 | News
DCMS’s preferred candidate for the next Information Commissioner, John Edwards, has been approved by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, and is expected to take up the role on 3 January next year.
Elizabeth Denham’s term as the Information Commissioner comes to an end on 30 November. John Edwards, who is currently serving as the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner, had previously been named as the preferred nominee back in August.
Edwards is currently serving his second five-year term as New Zealand Privacy Commissioner. Prior to his appointment, he practiced law for over 20 years, specialising in information law. He has also acted in legal roles for the Ministry of Health, State Services Commission, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet and Inland Revenue Department.
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He was approved by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee after a pre-appointment hearing on 9 September 2021, with his appointment now just needing the approval of the Queen.
Paul Arnold, the ICO’s Deputy Chief Executive, will be designated as the ICO’s Accounting Officer from 1 December 2021 until 2 January 2022. The regulatory responsibilities of the Commissioner are delegated to Deputy Commissioners through the ICO’s Scheme of Delegation. This is designed to ensure continuity of regulatory decision making during this period.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.