Sue McAllister Director General Room 317 Upper Newtownards Road BT4 3SU

18 June 2013

Dear Sue

NORTHERN IRELAND PRISON SERVICE – DIRECTOR OF REHABILITATION – SCS GRADE 5

Thank you for your 3 June 2013 letter and subsequent e-mails in relation to your Department’s request for Commissioners’ approval to appoint an individual via secondment to the post of Director of Rehabilitation (SCS Grade 5) by way of exception to the Merit Principle.

Appointment under Regulation 3(a)

Commissioners have considered your request under Regulation 3(a) of the Civil Service Commissioners for General Regulations 2007 and paragraph A.20 (i) (c) of Appendix A to the Recruitment Code and note the exceptional circumstances surrounding this request.

After careful consideration of the business case presented, I am content, on behalf of Commissioners, to approve the appointment for a period of two years under Regulation 3(a) of the General Regulations 2007.

This approval has been granted on the understanding that Corporate HR has been advised that this position is no longer being filled via open competition and that they are content that this post is to be filled by way of the proposed secondment arrangement with the Probation Service and that there are no internal financial issues for the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS).

It is also on the understanding that the NIPS job criteria for this secondment is the same as that which was advertised for permanent position.

As approval is limited to two years from the date of appointment, I should be grateful if you would advise the Secretariat of the effective start date, when known.

In exceptional circumstances, NIPS may, with Commissioners’ approval, extend the secondment beyond two years. Extension beyond two years will only be permitted by

ROOM 105, , , BELFAST, BT4 3SH t. 028 905 23599 f 028 905 27705 w. www.nicscommissioners.org Ensuring appointment on merit & safeguarding ethics

Page 1 of 2 the Commissioners where there are compelling reasons to do so. Should this prove to be the case, please note that you will need to again seek Commissioners’ approval and that you should give a minimum of three months advance notification.

I should be grateful if you would contact the Commissioners’ office again, three months prior to the proposed end of the secondment, to update us on your plans.

Commissioners have considered your invitation to be part of the assessment process and have decided that as regulators they will no participate in this appointment process.

May I take this opportunity to remind you that secondments may be subject to audit as part of Commissioners’ regulatory role and as such Departments are required to keep a full record of the secondment process. This should include records relating to the nature of the assessment and the outcome so that Commissioners can determine how the candidate has been appointed or assessed as being competent for the role.

In the meantime, should you wish to discuss any aspect of this letter, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Joanne Dowling on 028 90523568.

Yours sincerely

BRIAN ROWNTREE, CBE Chairperson cc Nick Perry, DOJ Marianne Fleming, CHR Marion Matchett Raymond Mullan Vilma Patterson Jim Scholes Joanne Dowling Bernie Gray

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