16.Subsection (2) gives the Agency’s Chief Executive particular responsibility to ensure that the Agency is run efficiently and effectively. He or she will be responsible to the Agency’s members for the day to day running of the Agency itself and will also be the Agency’s accounting officer (the officer responsible to Parliament for the way in which the Agency spends its money). Under subsection (3) the first Chief Executive is to be appointed jointly by the appropriate authorities, because the members of the Agency are unlikely all to be appointed when this appointment is made. Subsequent appointments will be a matter for the Agency, with the approval of the appropriate authorities.
17.The separate directors for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are appointed under subsection (4). Each will each head an executive body with responsibility for the operation of the Agency in the relevant part of the UK and will report to the Chief Executive. By analogy with the Chief Executive, the first appointment of the directors under subsection (5) will be made by the appropriate authority in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, with subsequent appointments by the Agency with the authority’s approval.
Commentary on Sections Section 3: Appointment of chief executive and directors