Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards

| Background | Responsibilities | Publications | Contact Details |

Background

The Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards was set up by the House of Commons in 1995 as a result of recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

The Commissioner is appointed by Resolution of the House of Commons and is an officer of the House. The current Commissioner, Mr John Lyon CB, commenced his appointment on 1 January 2008.

The Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is wholly funded by the House of Commons.

Responsibilities

The Commissioner's main responsibilities are :

• Overseeing the maintenance and monitoring the operation of the Register of Members' Financial Interests

• Providing advice on a confidential basis to individual Members and to the Select Committee on Standards and Privileges about the interpretation of the Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members.

• Preparing guidance and providing training for Members on matters of conduct, propriety and ethics.

• Monitoring the operation of the Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules and, where appropriate, proposing possible modifications of it to the Committee.

• Receiving and investigating complaints about Members who are allegedly in breach of the Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules, and reporting his findings to the Committee.

In addition, the Commissioner's office is responsible for maintaining and monitoring the operation of the following registers and lists; providing advice about them; and receiving and investigating complaints about them:

• Register of All-Party Groups

• Approved List of  All-Party Parliamentary Groups and Associate Parliamentary Groups

• Register of Interests of Members' Secretaries and Research Assistants

• Register of Journalists' Interests

The Commissioner presents an annual report to the House on the work of his office.

The Register of Lords Interests and the Register of Interests of Lords Members' Staff are not maintained or overseen by the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.  They are compiled by the Lords Registrar (tel 020 7219 3120) under the authority of the Clerk of the Parliaments.

Publications

• Registers (on Members, their staff, journalists and all-party groups)
  

• Code of Conduct together with the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members
  

• Guide to the Rules on All-Party Groups
  

• Rules relating to Members' Staff and Parliamentary Journalists are set out in the introduction to their respective Registers
  

• Registration Forms
  

• Leaflet on Complaints Against a Member of Parliament (sets out the complaints process)
  

• Guidance Notes (specific aspects of the complaints process and notes on other related matters)
  

• Press Notices
  

• Annual Reports
  

• Reports on Complaints investigated by the Commissioner (these are published by the Committee on Standards and Privileges, to whom the Commissioner reports his findings)

Contact Details