To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people applied for appointment to the committee of the Exmoor National Park as one of his appointments on the last occasion on which such appointments were made; what criteria were used to decide whom to appoint; and what the (a) name and (b) job was of each person on the selection panel.

Five applications were received for the 2009 round of appointments to Exmoor national park authority.

The Secretary of State members are appointed to the national park authorities to reflect the national importance placed on national parks. Such members will consider strategic issues such as responsibility for conservation, recreation, planning, access, land management and resources issues, as well as reflecting both local and national interests.

The selection process followed the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA) guidelines. The selection panel members were Doug Hulyer (panel chair)—Natural England Board, Councillor John Dyke—chairman of Exmoor national park authority and Tony Swabe—OCPA independent assessor.