Appointment of Professor Jonathan Haskel as Chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility

Headline findings

• Committee consented to Haskel's appointment
• Appointment process compressed to three weeks, falling short of the committee's own four-and-a-half-month guidance established in previous OBR appointments
• Committee noted the tight timeline but did not block the nomination
• Haskel's academic expertise in macroeconomics and previous advisory roles scrutinised during single evidence session

Why it matters

The OBR Chair is the UK's chief independent fiscal forecaster, directly influencing government spending decisions; this hearing tested whether Parliament's scrutiny power could be meaningful under time pressure.

Tone arc

Committee expressed procedural concern about compressed timescale versus precedent, but tone shifted toward acceptance once Haskel's substantive credentials were examined.

Key witnesses

Professor Jonathan Haskel CBE, Chancellor of the Exchequer (via nomination letter), Richard Hughes (predecessor, context only)