Shaping a standards system that is clear and accessible to all
4 min read
The Committee on Standards is one component within a complex system of standards.
We know that high standards of ethics and integrity in Parliament, independently enforced, are what the public want and rightly expect. Made up of both MPs and lay members, the committee plays a vital role in ensuring these standards are upheld.
Specifically, the committee fulfils several key functions including working closely with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and his excellent team who investigate possible breaches of the Code of Conduct, and whose work we fully support. The committee can also recommend any modifications to the Code of Conduct as may from time to time appear to be necessary.
These responsibilities are an integral part of the committee’s work, and as in the last parliament, will be a central tenet of our work in the coming years, too. In the last parliament, the committee produced a report entitled The House of Commons standards landscape: how MPs’ standards and conduct are regulated. The report describes the work of the committee and the interplay between itself and other organisations which operate in this area. With the landscape changing over the last decade, it was helpful to map the unique and overlapping roles of the various bodies to understand where our work fits into the wider picture. In this report, we made a number of suggestions to government which we have recently received a response to.
The report’s findings highlight the committee’s steadfast commitment to ensuring that its approach is not static, ensuring we can react dynamically as the standards environment continues to develop. The committee looks forward to working with the government (as well as internal and external stakeholders across Parliament) to continue to improve the landscape.
One of the key roles of the committee is to consider matters relating to the conduct of members, including specific complaints in relation to alleged breaches in the Code of Conduct which have been drawn to the committee's attention by the commissioner.
The inclusion of lay members is one of the committee’s greatest strengths with members coming from a variety of backgrounds. Each member brings both their own talents and unique perspectives to the table. It also means that during member cases, it is not just MPs involved in the decision making process, with the lay members holding the majority vote.
When the committee considers a case, some of these complaints are not upheld and others of a minor nature are rectified. Under the Standing Orders of the House, the rectification procedure means the commissioner may conclude an investigation without making a referral to the committee.
The commissioner only refers the most serious or otherwise non-rectifiable cases for a decision to the committee. In these cases, the committee can recommend or apply a sanction.
Recommended sanctions range from apology up to suspension from the House or even expulsion, and suspension can also trigger a by-election under the Recall of MPs Act. Bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct fall outside our remit and are dealt with by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), whose work we also, of course, fully support.
During this Parliament, the Committee is particularly interested in looking into the area of members’ outside interests and employment. On the 14 January, the Leader of the House (and chair of the Modernisation Committee) gave evidence to the Committee on Standards on this matter. We look forward to working further with the Modernisation Committee in this area over the coming months.
The Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour expected of MPs in all aspects of their public life. The code is inspired and informed by the Seven Principles of Public Life, also referred to as the Nolan Principles, covers a variety of areas including additional income, personal interests and gifts. Its purpose is to build a common understanding of expectations while ensuring the accountability required of elected officials in a functioning democracy.
The committee knows that what is, and is not, included in the code helps shape expectations and hence behaviour among MPs. Over this Parliament, the committee will revisit the code to ensure that it remains up to date and fit for purpose in the current day. The committee will be sure to speak to colleagues across the House for their input on this important matter.
We know that the standards system is complex. It is important we ensure that it remains accessible and understandable to both MPs and the public.
We want to ensure that the work of the committee is understood to instil confidence in the public that if an MP does break the rules, there is a robust system in place to ensure that they are held to the standards we are rightly expected to uphold.
