Embargoed until 00:01 on
Friday 11 February 2011 - Committee on Standards in Public Life
publishes response to IPSA review of MPs' expenses scheme
The independent
Committee on Standards in Public Life today published its response
to the consultation paper prepared by the Independent
Parliamentary Standards Authority for their first review of the
MPs' expenses scheme.
Sir Christopher Kelly, Chairman of the Committee, said:
"Parliament's decision to remove MPs'
role in setting their own expenses regime and the creation of an
independent regulator was one of the most important steps taken to
restore public confidence. Nothing that has happened over the
months since the setting up of the new scheme at the beginning of
the current Parliament should be allowed to cast doubt on that
fundamental point - despite some of the vociferous criticism IPSA
has faced and the significant difficulties apparently experienced
in bedding down the scheme.
"But there is a risk that in pursuit of the public
confidence objective insufficient attention may be paid to another
important point - that the purpose and principal function of the
expenses scheme is to support Members of Parliament effectively in
carrying out their important and difficult jobs. The Committee has
seen much anecdotal evidence - including from their own
conversations with individual MPs - that the current scheme as
presently constituted is not yet succeeding in fully meeting that
objective, even allowing for inevitable teething difficulties.
IPSA have already made a number of important changes and we hope
they will be prepared to make further changes where the evidence
supports it.
"In our report on MP's expenses published last
year we recommended that the arrangements should be sufficiently
flexible to take account of the diverse working patterns and
demands placed upon individual MPs, and should not deter
representation from all sectors of society. The Committee welcomes
the consultation paper's identification of the impact on
MPs' family life as a key theme to be explored further.
It would be a tragedy if the implementation of an expenses scheme
were to have the effect of inadvertently and unnecessarily
limiting access to the role of MP for those with young families,
caring responsibilities or other challenging personal circumstances.
"Another major issue raised by a number of MPs is the
difficulty they have experienced in obtaining advice about the
legitimacy of certain expense claims. It is the
Committee's view that it is a proper function for a
regulator to be prepared to give advice on the implications of the
regulations for which they are responsible, and that they ought to
be able to do so without prejudicing the fact that it is
ultimately the MP's own responsibility to ensure the
legitimacy of their claims. There is a balance to be struck."
Sir Christopher continued:
"The Committee made two significant recommendations in
our report which were not taken up by IPSA in their design of the
new scheme. One was that a commercial agency should be employed
with the task of finding and maintaining rented accommodation for
new MPs, along the lines of a similar scheme in place for a rather
larger number of Ministry of Defence personnel posted to different
parts of the country. It remains in our view an attractive
proposition which could help simplify the arrangements for many
new MPs and remove some of difficulties with the detailed rules on
accommodation. For that reason we very much hope that IPSA will
take steps to explore the option further in good time for the next election.
The other recommendation was that new MPs should no longer be
able to use their expenses to employ family members at public
expense, though existing MPs who already did so should be allowed
to continue for one more Parliament. We were disappointed that
IPSA chose not to implement this recommendation in full, though
they have limited MPs to the employment of only one
"connected party" out of their expenses. We
continue to be concerned about the potential for abuse - perceived
or otherwise - which this creates.
The Committee's response to the IPSA consultation is
available on the website www.public-standards.org.uk
Notes to Editors 1. For all media enquiries
and interview requests for the Committee Chairman, Sir Christopher
Kelly, media should contact Maggie O'Boyle.
2. The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an Advisory
Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) sponsored by the Cabinet
Office. The Chair and Members are appointed by the Prime Minister.
The Committee was established in October 1994 with the following
terms of reference: "To examine current concerns about
standards of conduct of all holders of public office, including
arrangements relating to financial and commercial activities, and
make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements
which might be required to ensure the highest standards of
propriety in public life. Additional terms of reference were
announced on 12 November 1997: "To review issues in
relation to the funding of political parties, and to make
recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements."
3. The Committee's report on MPs' expenses
entitled 'MPs' expenses, supporting Parliament
safeguarding the taxpayer' (Cm 7724) published in
November 2009 is available to download from the
Committee's website www.public-standards.org.uk.
4. The current members of the Committee are: Sir Christopher
Kelly KCB, Chairman, Rt Hon Lord Alderdice, Rt Hon Margaret
Beckett MP, Lloyd Clarke QPM, Oliver Heald MP, Sir Derek Morris MA
DPhil, Dame Denise Platt DBE, David Prince CBE, Dr Elizabeth
Vallance JP, Dr Brian Woods-Scawen DL CBE. As with the
Committee's report on this subject in November 2009 (Cm
7724), the Committee's politically appointed members have
not taken part in the preparation of this response to avoid any
real or perceived conflict of interest.
5. The Committee is currently carrying out an inquiry into
the Party Political Finance Inquiry. Further information is
available on the Committee's website www.public-standards.org.uk.or
from 0207 276 2595.
Committee on Standards in Public Life
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Maggie O'Boyle
Phone: 0207 276 2594
Mobile: 07880 740627
maggieob1@btinternet.com