Wilton Park Advisory Council

Memorandum of Understanding by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL

1. Wilton Park, an Executive Agency of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), was established in 1946 as part of an initiative by Winston Churchill to help re-establish peace and democracy in Europe. It aims to contribute to the solution of global problems by organising conferences on key international issues and policies. Wilton Park Advisory Council was established in 1949 to ensure Wilton Park's academic independence. Its members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to oversee the conference programme. It is an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (ANDPB), falling under the purview of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
2. The Framework Document states that the Council's endorsement is required that Wilton Park has made specific contributions to the promotion of international understanding and the solution of global problems (see below) and that the views of the Council will serve as one measure of the quality of conference programmes and facilities/service.
3. The Council supports Wilton Park by:
1. advising the Chief Executive and his senior staff on the selection of conference themes and speakers and participants, aiming to ensure that a proper balance is maintained in the conference programme
2. providing such practical assistance as it can in the recruitment of speakers and participants, and in fund-raising activities
3. striving to ensure that Wilton Park's activities meet the highest academic standards and that it maintains its reputation as a centre of excellence
4. advising the FCO as may be required on academic and other questions arising from the work of Wilton Park.
4. The FCO sets Wilton Park's objectives and ensures that they contribute to those of the FCO. Wilton Park's objectives are to:
1. contribute to a strong world community, international peace and stability, and a positive role for the UK in Europe
2. contribute to the analysis and understanding of international issues and enhance the UK's reputation for seeking to resolve international problems through dialogue
3. enhance the FCO's network of political relationships and its influence with overseas opinion-formers
4. help ensure that international considerations inform government policy-making
5. achieve the positive endorsement of sponsoring FCO Commands and the Academic and International Councils that Wilton Park has made specific contributions to the promotion of international understanding and the solution of global problems.
5. The Council publishes a short annual report.

COMPOSITION

6. Membership of the Council is on an individual basis but overall should reflect a wide spectrum of British public life. Members are drawn from the academic world, government, non-governmental organisations, media, business, trades unions and other organisations concerned with international relations. The Council will normally include one politician from each of the major parties.
7. There is no formal limit to the number of members (in recent years membership has stood at about 20). Four places are reserved for ex officio members: the Representative of the European Commission in the UK, the Director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), the Director General of the British Council, and the Secretary General of the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society.
8. Membership is unpaid, giving the Council the status of a Tier 1 ANDPB.

MEETINGS

9. The Council meets twice a year in formal session with the FCO and the Chief Executive of Wilton Park and his senior staff to receive reports from the Chief Executive on activities since the last meeting and to discuss proposals for the future, including the conference programme for the next year. The summer meeting (in June) is normally held at Wiston House, the home of Wilton Park, and the winter meeting (early December) at the FCO. Meetings last up to half a day.

APPOINTMENTS

10. Members are appointed by the Foreign Secretary through the FCO Director Public Services. The term of membership is for three years, renewable at the Foreign Secretary's discretion for further terms in accordance with the guidelines on public appointments (see next). Additional members may be appointed or members removed at the Foreign Secretary's discretion. Ministers are responsible to Parliament for appointments made to the Council and for its performance.
11. Appointments are made on merit under a fair, open and transparent process, in accordance with FCO Best Practice guidelines, which follow the guidelines of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and of the Cabinet Office. FCO equal opportunities targets are taken into account as set out in the FCO's Three Year Plan on Public Appointments. An Independent Assessor is involved in all initial appointments. He/she is required to certify to the FCO that appointments have complied with the Commissioner's guidelines.
12. Appointments are notified by letter, which outlines the terms and conditions of the appointment. The secretariat is required to keep a copy of the letter signed and returned by members on appointment or reappointment.
13. Background information on new members is publicised by the FCO and Wilton Park on their websites, including a brief summary of the new member's career and experience, the answer made by him/her about any political activity (including any nil statement), mention of any other Ministerial appointments held, a nil statement about remuneration received, and length of appointment.
14. New members are required to undertake to follow the provisions of the Code of Practice for members of the Council. This spells out the roles and responsibilities of members and the standards expected of them, including provision for declaring and resolving conflicts of interest. A record of members' interests is held by the secretariat.
15. In accordance with the guidelines of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, members' performance and record of attendance is reviewed by the Chair on a continuing basis. His/her evaluations form the basis for recommendations to the Foreign Secretary on reappointments.
16. Although membership is unpaid, reasonable expenses incurred in travelling to and from meetings of the Council will be reimbursed through the secretariat.

CHAIR

17. Members select a Chair in consultation with the FCO Director Public Services and the Chief Executive of Wilton Park and (if circumstances require) an Acting Chair when the Chair is unable to be present for any Council meeting. The Chair's term of office is two years. This may be extended by agreement with members.

SECRETARIAT

18. The secretariat is supplied by Public Diplomacy Department of the FCO.

Public Diplomacy Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London

June 2002