The Department for Business and Trade has announced that Clare Chapman has been reappointed as Chair of the Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service (Acas) for a further three-year term.
Other appointments to Acas include Martin McTague and Kevin Rowan who will begin their first three-year term at the next Acas council meeting on 20 September 2023.
Additionally, Stephen Redmond has been reappointed as Chair of the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for a second and final term, beginning on the 1 September 2023.
Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:
These appointments will ensure we have the right expertise in place to help protect and enhance workers' rights and I look forward to working with them as we continue to support employers and employees up and down the country.
The Acas Chair is remunerated £52,000 PA (2 days per week), equivalent to £130,000 a year. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Clare Chapman has not declared any significant political activity.
Acas Members are remunerated with an annual fee / honorarium of £1,695, plus £172 for each full day. These appointments have been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Martin McTague and Kevin Rowan have not declared any significant political activity.
The CAC Chair is remunerated £25,357 PA (1 day per week), equivalent to £126,785 a year. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office's Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Stephen Redmond has not declared any significant political activity.
Clare Chapman biography
Clare has been Chair, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service since 27 July 2020; Non-Executive Director at the Weir Group Plc since 2017; Co-Founder of the Purposeful Company since 2015. Clare previously served as Group People Director at BT Group and before that, Director General of Workforce at the Department of Health.
Clare also served as a Low Pay Commissioner form March 2015 until July 2020, when she took up the Acas Chair post.
Martin McTague biography
Martin McTague started his own business 35 years ago and currently owns and manages three businesses - offering public policy, engineering, and IT consultancy services. Over more than three decades running businesses Martin has worked with institutional investors, operating sophisticated financial management systems, marketing complex IT systems and managing more than 60 employees. He has served as a volunteer with FSB for more than 20 years, in a variety of roles including Chairman of the Local Government Policy Unit and National Policy Chairman.
He is currently a Low Pay Commissioner, Martin is the National Chair, of the Federation of Small Businesses, the UK's leading business lobbying organisation.
Kevin Rowan biography
Kevin Rowan was the Regional Secretary of the Northern Trade Union Congress (TUC) for 10 years before taking on the role of Head of Organisation and Services Department (OSD). Kevin is also responsible for workplace learning and the TUC's extensive programme of workplace representative training.
He leads a team of 80 staff, including the TUC's public services, transport, skills, health and safety and trade union renewal teams, regional and Wales offices and is head of personnel and development at the TUC.
Kevin has had many non-executive director roles over his career from 2002-present, mainly representing the interests of workers, collaborating with other board members to tackle issues such as HSE effectiveness, inclusion, L&D and equality and diversity.
Stephen Redmond biography
Stephen Redmond's first term as the CAC Chair commenced on 1 December 2017; he is an experienced human resources and organisational development professional and was one of four national HR Directors for the NHS in the UK.
Stephen has worked in central and devolved government, the NHS, health and social care and the mining industry. He has worked internationally for the British Government in developing countries and as a consultant in Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Africa.
Acas and the role of the Council
Acas is a key public body (sponsored by Labour Markets, a directorate within the Department for Business and Trade) whose role is to provide employers and employees with free impartial advice on workplace rights, rules, and best practice with the aim of reducing workplace conflict. Acas will do this through providing advice on their website (www.acas.org.uk), through its helpline; conciliation ('mediation') services to help resolve disputes; tailored training and advice for individual organisations; and an Early Conciliation (EC) Service to help both employers and employees resolve their dispute outside an Employment Tribunal.
Acas is an independent non-departmental public body (NDPB) and the Acas Council was established by statute to safeguard its independence. The Council consists of a Chair and eleven members who represent employer, worker, or independent interests; all are appointed by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
Acas launched its strategy on 1st June 2021, which sets out how they will continue to develop and expand their services and share their insight to create a better world of work. Acas's purpose is to make working life better for everyone in Britain.
