Former chairman Gavyn Davies quit because of Lord Hutton's criticism

Former home secretary Lord Baker has refused to take part because the panel will not be involved in the selection.

And he questioned a new chairman's requirement to act as a link between the BBC, the government and Parliament.

The news follows the naming of a team by the corporation's acting director general to investigate editorial lessons of the Hutton report.

In my view the job of the BBC chair is to be an independent figure protecting the interests of the BBC and very often this has to be against the interests of the government Lord Baker

Lord Baker also criticised the decision not to ask the panel for views on the nature of the person who should get the job.

"I would have expected the privy counsellors to be rather more involved in the selection process," he said in a letter to the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Extra sensitivity

The government is responsible for appointing the new chairman following the resignation of Gavyn Davies over the Hutton Report into Dr David Kelly's death.

It had asked Dame Rennie Fritchie and three senior privy counsellors to oversee the appointment to show the corporation's independence from government.

As rules stand, the post is advertised before an independent panel draws up a shortlist and recommendations are made to the government.

The Queen then appoints a new chairman.

But the government has ordered further measures because of extra sensitivity following Lord Hutton's report.

Lord Baker said Dame Fritchie had "unimpeachable integrity" and could oversee the process herself.

He said the new role of the chairman in acting as a link between the corporation, the government and Parliament was "a definite departure" from the role's previous remit.

He said: "In my view the job of the BBC chair is to be an independent figure protecting the interests of the BBC and very often this has to be against the interests of the government."

Shadow home secretary David Davis said the Conservative leadership shared "all Lord Baker's concerns about the narrow remit of the scrutiny panel" and confirmed a Conservative would not be taking part.

Identifying lessons

Meanwhile, the BBC's acting director general, Mark Byford, has named a six-member team to investigate the editorial lessons of the Hutton report, to be chaired by the corporation's former news chief Ron Neil.

The review will look at the editorial issues raised by Lord Hutton and to identify any lessons and make any appropriate recommendations.

Director General Greg Dyke resigned from the BBC because of Lord Hutton's criticism.

Weapons expert Dr Kelly committed suicide a few days after being named by the Ministry of Defence as the source for a BBC story by defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan.

Lord Hutton described as "unfounded" the claim in Mr Gilligan's report that the government had inserted material in its September 2002 dossier about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction whilst probably knowing it to be wrong, and against the wishes of the intelligence services.

Mr Dyke, BBC chairman Gavyn Davies and Mr Gilligan have all resigned from the corporation.