The Standards Commission for Scotland was established under the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000

Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000

The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. Act 2000 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which established that the Scottish Ministers had to issue a code of conduct for councillors, and put in place mechanisms for dealing with councillors in contravention of the code...

. The Commission's purpose is to advance high ethical standards in public life. Its main tool is the promotion and enforcement of Codes of Conduct for councillors (approved by the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...

) and those appointed to devolved public bodies.

The Standards Commission is concerned with ethical conduct. It deals with complaints of misconduct against individual members. It does not deal with issues of maladministration

Maladministration

Maladministration is a political term which describes the actions of a government body which can be seen as causing an injustice.The law in the United Kingdom says Ombudsman must investigate ‘maladministration’...

; these are matters for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman was set up in 2002 as a 'one-stop-shop'. It replaced three previous offices - the Scottish Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, the Local Government Ombudsman for Scotland and the Housing Association Ombudsman for Scotland...

.

The Commission is appointed by the Scottish ministers

Scottish Executive

The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...

 but is intended to be independent of government in its workings.

Code of Conduct for Councillors

The Commission publishes a Code of Conduct. Local authorities are encouraged also to establish their own codes of conduct (consistent with the Standards Commission's) and to enforce these codes themselves

The Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour expected of councillors in Scotland.

The Chief Investigating Officer

In addition to the Commission, the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 established the office of the Chief Investigating Officer. The Chief Investigating Officer is not a part of the Commission but has a duty to investigate complaints of misconduct referred to him. He is not entirely independent though; he must comply with any directions given by the Commission, which may not however direct him as to how to carry any particular investigation out.

Public Bodies under the Standards Commission's Supervision

The Commission has authority over:

32 local authorities and 129 other public bodies. Community council

Community council

A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies...

s are not under this authority.

The Devolved Public Bodies over which the Commission has authority are:

• The Accounts Commission for Scotland
• The Crofters Commission
• The Deer Commission for Scotland
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• The Parole Board for Scotland
• Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
• The Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board
• The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
• The Scottish Environment Protection Agency

• Scottish Enterprise

• The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
• The National Galleries of Scotland Board of Trustees
• The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh Board of Trustees
• The Scottish Arts Council
• Scottish Natural Heritage
• The Trustees of the National Library of Scotland
• The National Museums of Scotland Board of Trustees

• The Scottish Tourist Board
• Area tourist boards

• Colleges of further education
• The Scottish Further Education Funding Council
• The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council
• The Scottish Qualifications Authority

• The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland
• The Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service
• NHS Health boards
• The Health Education Board for Scotland
• The Health Technology Board for Scotland
• The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
• National Health Service trusts
• Scottish Ambulance Service Board
• The Scottish Council for Post Graduate Medical and Dental Education
• Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust
• The Scottish Medical Practices Committee
• The State Hospitals Board for Scotland

• Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
• Scottish Homes
• The Scottish Legal Aid Board

• The Scottish Sports Council

• The Water Authorities

See also

• Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
  Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
  The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman was set up in 2002 as a 'one-stop-shop'. It replaced three previous offices - the Scottish Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, the Local Government Ombudsman for Scotland and the Housing Association Ombudsman for Scotland...
  
  
• Standards Board for England
  Standards Board for England
  Standards for England, formerly known as the Standards Board for England, is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Established following the Local Government Act 2000, it is responsible for promoting high ethical standards in local democracy...
  
  
• Adjudication Panel for England
  Adjudication Panel for England
  The Adjudication Panel for England was an independent judicial tribunal set up under the Local Government Act 2000. It was a Non-departmental public body which ruled on complaints referred to it by the Standards Board for England regarding alleged breaches of English local authorities' codes of...
  
  
• Northern Ireland Ombudsman
  Northern Ireland Ombudsman
  The Northern Ireland Ombudsman combines two official offices, the Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints....
  
  
• Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000
  Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000
  The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. Act 2000 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which established that the Scottish Ministers had to issue a code of conduct for councillors, and put in place mechanisms for dealing with councillors in contravention of the code...
  
  
• Standards Commission for Scotland

External links

• Standards Commission for Scotland - Official website
• Standards Board for England
• Northern Ireland Ombudsman
• Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
• Coverage on a UK law wiki
• Guardian news article - How to set the highest standards locally