Week 4: MPs and MSPs - who regulates them?

Question 1

The Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards

Answer 1

The Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Compliance Officer for IPSA) is an independent statutory office holder. She has a separate website at:http://www.parliamentarycompliance.org.uk.
The Compliance Officer’s remit is defined in statute and is to:
conduct an investigation if he has reason to believe that an MP may have been paid an amount under the MPs’ Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses (‘the Scheme’) that should not have been allowed; and
at the request of an MP, to review a decision by IPSA to refuse reimbursement for an expense claim, in whole or in part.

Question 2

MPs code of conduct?

Answer 2

MPs must adhere to the code of conduct and the code of ethics.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is an independent officer of the House of Commons.

His or her job is to oversee the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and the Code of Conduct for MPs. The Commissioner also advises the Committee on Standards about issues relating to the Code of Conduct

Question 3

MP who oversees parliamentary standards broke rules?

Answer 3

The MP who chairs the committee overseeing ethical standards in the House of Commons broke the code of conduct he enforces, an inquiry has found.
An internal investigation into Labour’s Sir Kevin Barron by the Standards Committee found he broke the rules by accepting payment for the use of facilities in the Commons.
Sir Kevin sponsored events in Parliament on behalf of the Japanese Pharmaceutical Group (JPG), including dinners and breakfast meetings.

Question 4

MP expenses scandal case study - what happened?

Answer 4

x

Question 5

Ethics standards commissioner?

Answer 5

Ethics Standards Commissioner
The Commissioner and her team work within her remit to encourage fairness, good conduct and transparency in public life in Scotland.
They will investigate complaints about the behaviour of MSPs, local authority councillors, and board members of public bodies and about lobbyists, and look into how people are appointed to the boards of public bodies in Scotland.
https://www.ethicalstandards.org.uk/about-us