Commissioners 'should be appointed by assembly'

Keith Towler says assembly appointments would be 'better for transparency'

Commissioners should be appointed by the assembly, not the Welsh government, former children's commissioner Keith Towler has said.

It follows a row after former Labour councillor Sophie Howe was named as the new future generations commissioner.

Mr Towler told BBC Wales it would be better for scrutiny and independence if the assembly ran the entire process.

The Welsh government said if candidates declare a party link then impartiality questions are covered at the interview.

Welsh Tories branded Sophie Howe a "Labour insider" when she was named as the new £95,000-a-year future generations commissioner on Monday.

Sophie Howe is a former Labour councillor and government advisor

She also worked as a special advisor to Natural Resources Minister Carl Sergeant in his previous role responsible for local government.

However, she was appointed by the first minister following the recommendation of a cross-party panel, like other commissioners.

Mr Towler, who stood down as children's commissioner in March, told Sunday Politics Wales the Welsh government had never tried to interfere with his work or influence him.

But he added: "I think it would be better for transparency and it would be better in relation to scrutiny and for the independence of that institution if all of that was managed by the National Assembly for Wales.

"Then you would take away legitimate questions that are asked about degrees of independence. Because you can't have degrees of independence."

On the question of political links, Mr Towler said: "If you're a member of a political party you should resign that membership if you become a commissioner - and it should be absolutely clear that your political affiliations no longer exist."

A Welsh government spokesman said: "Whilst it is not mandatory, there is a section on the application form where candidates can declare political interest or affiliation. These interests do not always have to be publicly disclosed.

"Where declarations arise they're picked up at interview stage and questions on impartiality are covered.

"There is no requirement for individuals to resign membership of a political party."

Sunday Politics Wales is on BBC One Wales on Sunday, 8 November, at 12:20 GMT.