Non-political ministerial appointments queried by MPs

Lords Malloch Brown and Jones were ennobled to become ministers

The practice of ennobling people from outside Parliament in order to make them ministers should be "exceptional", a cross-party group of MPs has said.

The Public Administration Committee says such appointments should be given "proper scrutiny" by the Commons.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has brought in 10 non-political figures, including a former CBI head and an ex-admiral.

The MPs also criticised the appointment of "tsars" - un-elected advisers who take the lead on certain policies.

On becoming prime minister, Mr Brown said he would build a "government of all the talents", appointing outsiders as ministers who became known as "goats".

Lords seat

He has since brought in a former diplomat, a surgeon, three ex-businessmen, and a former head of the Royal Navy.

The committee said a short period as a minister should not lead to a permanent seat in the House of Lords.

It said fresh blood can reinvigorate a government, but the appointments could also be seen as undemocratic as they are not elected and cannot be questioned in the Commons.

We need to know who these people are and on what basis they are operating Tony Wright Committee chairman

The committee also expressed its unease at the growing number of so-called tsars - appointees who become the public face of a policy or cause.

The MPs said there is no formal appointments procedure.

Chairman Tony Wright MP told BBC Radio 4 the wider constitutional implications of employing non-politicians must be considered, because the British parliamentary system was different to that in the US.

'Quasi members'

And he said the various "tsars", "envoys" and "champions" the government has appointed - such as Lord Sugar, Louise Casey and Dame Joan Bakewell - were "sort of quasi members of the government, seem to exist in a kind of limbo land".

"They may be doing excellent things but we are not really sure about that and we're not really sure about how they are appointed and what their terms of trade are.

A very small elite at the top of the political pile, can really appoint people to do jobs that sometimes they are suitable for, sometimes they are not Lord Jones

"If this is a trend that's going to happen... we need to know who these people are and on what basis they are operating."

Lord Jones - the former CBI boss who was made a trade minister under Mr Brown - told the BBC "goats" had a lot to offer.

He said too many ministers started out as political researchers, fresh from university, became special advisers, were given a safe seat to become an MP and were promoted to become ministers.

"You know nothing about the subject that you are in charge of," he said.

But he said "goats" should be given specific terms of reference, should not be cabinet ministers, should not have to join the governing party and should only be appointed for a limited period.

He said MPs should hold them to account "where at the moment, frankly, they do what they are told as cannon fodder and a very small elite at the top of the political pile, can really appoint people to do jobs that sometimes they are suitable for, sometimes they are not."