The new chairman of Ofcom, Lord Michael Grade, will appear before the DCMS select committee

Ofcom’s newly announced chairman, Lord Michael Grade, is to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee for a “pre-appointment check”.

Lord Grade will be questioned by MPs, which could include questions about the drawn-out selection process, internet security and sanctions on Russian media.

The 79-year-old Conservative, who has held senior positions in all three major British media outlets, was last week named by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries as the government’s preferred candidate for the job.

He is scheduled to appear before the bipartisan select committee on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Such hearings are held so that selected committees can check the quality of nominations for ministerial positions and assess the candidate’s suitability for a given position, his knowledge and experience.

During his career, Lord Grade served as controller of BBC One, chief executive of Channel 4, chairman of the BBC and executive chairman of ITV plc.

In the days following the meeting, the committee will publish a short report on the proposed appointment of the head of the media supervision authority.

Lord Grade currently sits as a Conservative member of the House of Lords after being appointed by David Cameron in 2011.

If confirmed as Ofcom chairman, he will move to cross-functional positions and step down from any non-executive positions that could create a conflict of interest.

Following the Government’s announcement, Lord Grade said: ‘Ofcom is respected around the world as a first-class communications regulator and I am honored to have been asked to become its chair.

“Ofcom’s role in UK life has never been more important, with new responsibilities on the horizon to regulate online safety, beyond the ever-changing broadcasting landscape.

“I look forward to appearing before the DCMS select committee to outline what I can bring to the role and how I can help ensure Ofcom is fit for the future.”

The former media executive was appointed to the post after a lengthy recruitment process that Labor described as “chaotic and frankly embarrassing”.

Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre was reportedly Boris Johnson’s preferred choice in early interviews, but he withdrew from the race, claiming the civil service had influenced the process due to his right-wing “beliefs”.