A new inquiry looking at propriety
and ethics within government has been launched by the Public
Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC)
today.
The Government made manifesto commitments to ensure the highest
standards of ethics and integrity in government and to restore
trust between the public and politics. To do this, it committed
to establishing “a new independent Ethics and Integrity
Commission, with its own independent Chair, to ensure probity in
government”. However, no details have been forthcoming on this
commitment, therefore the Committee will be aiming to understand
what progress has been made.
As part of the inquiry, the Committee will also be looking at how
effective the existing propriety and ethics structures are.
This includes how trust in government and its officials can be
restored and ensured, in light of concerns around lobbying and
ministerial conduct.
MPs will also explore how enforcing high standards could
positively impact the public's trust in government and the wider
political system in the UK.
Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional
Affairs Committee, MP, said:
“Holding public office is a great privilege which carries
enormous responsibility. Holding ministers to the highest
standards is critical to maintaining the public's trust and
confidence in our political system. Any indication that the
system is deficient can do untold damage to the perception of a
government.
“Significant commitments have been made to overhaul the ethics
regime but we are yet to see much evidence of progress from the
Cabinet Office. An upstanding government and good ministers
should not fear, but welcome, a strong, rigorous and independent
ethics and propriety regime.
“This inquiry will allow us to push the Government on its
commitments, ensuring changes are properly stress-tested and
scrutinised by Parliament.”
Terms of reference
The Committee invites written evidence answering any of the
following questions:
· How can the Government best
meet its commitments in the area of propriety and ethics in
government?
o What form would a new Ethics and Integrity
Commission most effectively take?
o What should the relationship of the Commission be
with current propriety and ethics bodies?
o What powers should this new Commission be
given?
· How effective is the
current system of propriety and ethics bodies?
o How could their effectiveness be improved?
o How can the performance and effectiveness of these
bodies be ensured in a range of different circumstances?
o How are standards coordinated and maintained across
the whole of the UK and at all levels?
· To what extent can good
monitoring and regulation of standards prevent or improve trust
in government and the wider political system in the UK?
Submissions can be made here. The deadline for
submitting evidence is Tuesday 26 August.
