Committee on Standards and Privileges
Encyclopedia
The Standards and Privileges Committee of the United Kingdom
House of Commons
was established in 1995 to replace the earlier Committee of Privileges. Ten Members of Parliament
sit to make recommendations to the House on complaints of breach of Parliamentary privilege
.
The Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to oversee the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
. It examines the arrangements for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members' Interests and considers specific complaints made in relation to the registering or declaring of interests and any matter 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.
On the 9th of December 2010 Geoff Hoon
along with Stephen Byers
and Richard Caborn
were banned from entering the Parliamentary estate; the Committee banned Geoff Hoon for five years as his was the most serious breach, whilst Byers received two years and Caborn six months. This was due to the 2010 Cash for Influence Scandal
Source: Standards and Privileges Committee
. Such changes are shown below.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
was established in 1995 to replace the earlier Committee of Privileges. Ten Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
sit to make recommendations to the House on complaints of breach of Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
.
The Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to oversee the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is an officer of the British House of Commons.He or she is appointed by a Resolution of the House of Commons and works a four-day week.- Tasks :...
. It examines the arrangements for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members' Interests and considers specific complaints made in relation to the registering or declaring of interests and any matter 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.
On the 9th of December 2010 Geoff Hoon
Geoff Hoon
Geoffrey "Geoff" William Hoon is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Ashfield from 1992 to 2010...
along with Stephen Byers
Stephen Byers
Stephen John Byers is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for North Tyneside from 1997 to 2010; in the previous parliament, from 1992, he represented Wallsend...
and Richard Caborn
Richard Caborn
Richard George Caborn PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central from 1983 to 2010...
were banned from entering the Parliamentary estate; the Committee banned Geoff Hoon for five years as his was the most serious breach, whilst Byers received two years and Caborn six months. This was due to the 2010 Cash for Influence Scandal
2010 cash for influence scandal
The 2010 cash for influence scandal is a political scandal in the United Kingdom. In March 2010, Dispatches, a current affairs documentary series on Channel 4 conducted a journalistic sting operation...
Membership
As of 22 November 2010, the members of the committee are as follows:| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rt Hon Kevin Barron Kevin Barron Kevin John Barron is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Rother Valley since 1983.-Early life:... MP (Chair) |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Rother Valley Rother Valley (UK Parliament constituency) - Elections in the 2000s :- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1980s :- Elections in the 1970s :- Elections in the 1960s :... |
|
| Sir Paul Beresford Paul Beresford Sir Alexander Paul Beresford is a British Conservative Party politician, practising dentist and the Member of Parliament for Mole Valley.-Early life:... MP |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Mole Valley Mole Valley (UK Parliament constituency) Mole Valley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:... |
|
| Tom Blenkinsop Tom Blenkinsop Thomas Francis Blenkinsop is a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.... MP |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (UK Parliament constituency) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.... |
|
| Annette Brooke Annette Brooke Annette Lesley Brooke is a British Liberal Democrat politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for Mid Dorset and North Poole since 2001.-Early life:... MP |
Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
Mid Dorset and North Poole | |
| Tom Clarke MP | Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | |
| Geoffrey Cox Geoffrey Cox Charles Geoffrey Cox, QC, MP , is a British politician and barrister. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Torridge and West Devon.-Early life:... MP |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Torridge and West Devon | |
| Matthew Hancock Matthew Hancock Matthew John David Hancock is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament for West Suffolk at the general election in May 2010.-Early life:... |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
West Suffolk West Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :... |
|
| Oliver Heald Oliver Heald Oliver Heald is a British barrister and Conservative politician, and the Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire.-Background:... MP |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
North East Hertfordshire | |
| Heather Wheeler Heather Wheeler Heather Kay Wheeler is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for South Derbyshire, taking the seat from the Labour Party after 13 years.... MP |
Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
South Derbyshire South Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:"-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1940s:-References:... |
|
| Alan Whitehead Alan Whitehead Alan Patrick Vincent Whitehead is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Southampton Test since 1997.-Early life:... MP |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Southampton Test |
Source: Standards and Privileges Committee
Changes
Occasionally, the House of Commons orders changes to be made in terms of membership of select committees, as proposed by the Selection CommitteeCommons Select Committee of Selection
The Committee of Selection is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Unlike the Commons' other select committees, the Committee of Selection exists by virtue of the House's Standing Orders for Private Business, its rules for bills that affect only...
. Such changes are shown below.
| Date | Outgoing Member & Party |
Constituency | → | New Member & Party |
Constituency | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 October 2010 | Eric Ollerenshaw Eric Ollerenshaw Eric Ollerenshaw OBE is a British Conservative politician and the Member of Parliament for Lancaster and Fleetwood.... (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... ) |
Lancaster and Fleetwood Lancaster and Fleetwood (UK Parliament constituency) Lancaster and Fleetwood is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.... |
→ | Matthew Hancock Matthew Hancock Matthew John David Hancock is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament for West Suffolk at the general election in May 2010.-Early life:... (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... ) |
West Suffolk West Suffolk (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :... |
Hansard | ||
| 22 November 2010 | Jim Cunningham MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... ) |
Coventry South | → | Tom Blenkinsop Tom Blenkinsop Thomas Francis Blenkinsop is a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.... MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... ) |
Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (UK Parliament constituency) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.... |
Hansard |
External links
- Standards and Privileges committee at the UK Parliament website