The Committee on Standards in Public Life It is to act as a running authority of reference – almost you might say, an ethical workshop called in to do running repairs. Sir John Major, 1994 The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) advises government on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK. It monitors and reports on issues relating to the standards of conduct of all public office holders. GOV.UK website, 2013 The Committee on Standards in Public Life was established in October 1994 by the then Prime Minister, Sir John Major, following a number of high profile cases of misconduct by public office-holders. It was initially given the following terms of reference: To examine current concerns about standards of conduct of all holders of public office, including arrangements relating to financial and commercial activities, and make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements which might be required to ensure the highest standards of propriety in public life. Additional terms of reference have twice been announced: in 1997, to allow for the investigation of the funding of political parties, and in 2013, to clarify the committee’s relation to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and to set the definition of ‘holders of public office’ as ‘all those involved in the delivery of public services, not solely those appointed or elected to public office’. The main purpose of the committee, however, is the same today as when first established. The committee is made up of an independently-appointed chair, six non-political members from a range of backgrounds (civil servants, business leaders, academics, etc.) appointed by the prime minister and three political members, one from each of the three main UK parties. The committee is an advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Cabinet Office. This means that it is funded by the government and supported by a secretariat of civil servants, but is still fully independent. It is a standing committee, with a non-statutory basis. The committee’s main activity is to consider and report publicly on standards, issues and risks. This involves gathering evidence through written submissions, seminars, public hearings, consultations and research, as appropriate, and presenting its findings as a report to the prime minister laid before parliament. The committee has so far carried out 14 inquiries, listed below. The committee also carries out ongoing ‘standards checks’, reviews of developments and emerging risks, published in its annual reports. It responds to consultations and supplies evidence to other inquiries, and until recently it carried out a biennial survey of attitudes to standards in public life, now in its last iteration. A recent triennial review has confirmed the committee’s continuing role and has also recommended more streamlined working methods, possibly resulting in more short reports on emerging as well as current issues and in collaborative work with other bodies e.g. in the collection of survey data. Summary of key reports • First Report (1995): The committee’s first report, produced under the chairmanship of Lord Nolan, looked at a broad section of public office-holders and drew three key conclusions: – All public bodies should draw up codes of conduct incorporating the seven principles of public life (a list of principles formulated in the first report, and which the committee has continued to use ever since – see opposite page) – Internal systems for maintaining standards should be supported by independent scrutiny – More needed to be done to promote and reinforce standards of conduct in public bodies, in particular through guidance and training, including induction training • Twelfth Report – MPs’ expenses (2009): This inquiry reviewed the system by which MPs’ expenses and allowances are paid, following highly controversial revelations in 2008–09 about its widespread abuse. Its key recommendations included the establishment of a new independent regulatory body (now the Independent Parliamentary Standards Agency (IPSA)) to determine the pay, pensions and expenses of MPs, and a wide range of improvements to the existing rules Commonwealth Governance 52 Handbook 2013/14
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