Committee on Standards in Public Life
Encyclopedia
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an advisory non-departmental public body
of the United Kingdom Government.
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is constituted as a standing body with its members appointed for up to three years.
John Major
in response to concerns that conduct by some politicians was unethical - for example, during the cash-for-questions affair
.
The Committee's original terms of reference were:
The term "public office" includes ministers
, civil servants and advisers; Members of Parliament
and UK Members of the European Parliament
; Members and senior officers of all non-departmental public bodies and of national health service bodies; non-ministerial office holders; members and other senior officers of other bodies discharging publicly-funded functions; and elected members and senior officers of local authorities.
extended the Committee's terms of reference: "To review issues in relation to the funding of political parties, and to make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements."
(NDPB). The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments oversees the competitive appointment of seven members, supplemented by three positions nominated by each of the main three political parties. It lacks any statutory
powers, with no ability to compel witnesses or bring about its recommendations. It does not investigate individual misconduct.
, the Committee was made up of Sir Christopher Kelly, KCB
(Chair), The Lord Alderdice, Margaret Beckett
MP, Lloyd Clarke, Oliver Heald
MP, Alun Michael
MP, Sir Derek Morris
, Dame Denise Platt
, David Prince, Dr Brian Woods-Scawen and Dr Elizabeth Vallance. The Chair is paid a salary of £50,000 and members not already paid a public salary receive £240 for each day they work on Commons business, in addition to expenses.
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
of the United Kingdom Government.
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is constituted as a standing body with its members appointed for up to three years.
History
The committee was established in October 1994 by Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
John Major
John Major
Sir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
in response to concerns that conduct by some politicians was unethical - for example, during the cash-for-questions affair
Cash-for-questions affair
The "Cash-for-questions affair" was one of the biggest political scandals of the 1990s in the United Kingdom.It began in October 1994 when The Guardian newspaper alleged that London's most successful parliamentary lobbyist, Ian Greer of Ian Greer Associates, had bribed two Conservative Members of...
.
The Committee's original terms of reference were:
The term "public office" includes ministers
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
, civil servants and advisers; Members of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and UK Members of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
; Members and senior officers of all non-departmental public bodies and of national health service bodies; non-ministerial office holders; members and other senior officers of other bodies discharging publicly-funded functions; and elected members and senior officers of local authorities.
First report
The Committee's First Report established The Seven Principles of Public Life, also known as the "Nolan principles". They are included in the Ministerial Code. They are:- Selflessness – Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family or their friends.
- Integrity – Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.
- Objectivity – In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.
- Accountability – Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
- Openness – Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.
- Honesty – Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.
- Leadership – Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.
Later reports
In 1997, Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
extended the Committee's terms of reference: "To review issues in relation to the funding of political parties, and to make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements."
Organisation
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an independent advisory non-departmental public bodyNon-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
(NDPB). The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments oversees the competitive appointment of seven members, supplemented by three positions nominated by each of the main three political parties. It lacks any statutory
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
powers, with no ability to compel witnesses or bring about its recommendations. It does not investigate individual misconduct.
, the Committee was made up of Sir Christopher Kelly, KCB
Christopher Kelly
Sir Christopher William Kelly, KCB is a former senior British Civil Servant who is currently the Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and Chairman of the NSPCC.-Early life:...
(Chair), The Lord Alderdice, Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett
Margaret Mary Beckett is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Derby South since 1983, rising to become the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party under John Smith, from 18 July 1992 to 12 May 1994, and briefly serving as Leader of the Party following Smith's death...
MP, Lloyd Clarke, Oliver Heald
Oliver Heald
Oliver Heald is a British barrister and Conservative politician, and the Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire.-Background:...
MP, Alun Michael
Alun Michael
Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...
MP, Sir Derek Morris
Derek Morris
Sir Derek Morris is former Chairman of the Competition Commission and as of 1 October 2003 is the Provost of Oriel College, Oxford....
, Dame Denise Platt
Denise Platt
Dame Denise Platt, DBE, FRSA is a British civil servant. She is the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection...
, David Prince, Dr Brian Woods-Scawen and Dr Elizabeth Vallance. The Chair is paid a salary of £50,000 and members not already paid a public salary receive £240 for each day they work on Commons business, in addition to expenses.
Chairman
- The Lord NolanMichael Nolan, Baron NolanMichael Patrick Nolan, Baron Nolan, was a judge in the United Kingdom, and the first chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life 1994 to 1997. In the words of his obituary in The Guardian, "Lord Nolan ....
(28 October 1994 – 7 November 1997) - The Lord Neill of Bladen, QCPatrick Neill, Baron Neill of BladenFrancis Patrick Neill, Baron Neill of Bladen QC is a cross bench member of the House of Lords.Educated at Highgate School and Magdalen College, Oxford, he was Warden of All Souls College, Oxford from 1977 until 1995, where he has been an Honorary Fellow since 1995. He was Vice-Chancellor of Oxford...
(7 November 1997 – 1 March 2001) - Sir Nigel Wicks (1 March 2001 – 26 April 2004)
- Sir Alistair GrahamAlistair GrahamSir John Alistair Graham is a well known figure in British public life. He was Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2003 until April 2007....
(26 April 2004 – 24 April 2007) - Sir Christopher Kelly, KCBChristopher KellySir Christopher William Kelly, KCB is a former senior British Civil Servant who is currently the Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and Chairman of the NSPCC.-Early life:...
(from 1 January 2008)