On 17 December 2021 Her Majesty by Letters Patent appointed John Edwards as Information Commissioner with his five year term beginning on 3 January 2022.
John Edwards was previously New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner and will bring with him a wealth of data regulatory experience, as Privacy Commissioner but also from 20 years of practicing law and specialising in information law.
Under the Data Protection Act, the Information Commissioner is appointed by Her Majesty by Letters Patent on the basis of fair and open competition and on the recommendation from ministers (the Secretary of State for Digital Culture, Media and Sport, through the Prime Minister). John Edwards' appointment as Information Commissioner was approved by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee after a pre-appointment hearing on 9 September 2021.
Ministers were assisted in their decision-making by an Advisory Assessment Panel which included a departmental official and a senior independent panel member approved by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
