Public Administration Select Committee: Inquiry

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Ethics and Standards

Report | Oral and Written Evidence | Government Response

PASC - the Public Administration Select Committee - is inquiring into the role and independence of ethics and standards watchdogs. This inquiry will focus on issues surrounding their accountability, independence, contribution to public administration and whether the time has come for some rationalisation. It will therefore be a stocktake of the ethical regulation of government, and will explore whether there are improvements that can be made to the present arrangements.

Minutes of evidence:

Thursday 15 June 2006, Corrected transcript
Witnesses: Ms Janet Gaymer, CBE, Commissioner for Public Appointments, Ms Janet Paraskeva, First Civil Service Commissioner.

Thursday 8 June 2006, Corrected transcript
Witnesses: Professor Anthony King, University of Essex, Dr David Hine, University of Oxford, Rt Hon Lord Mayhew of Twysden, QC, DL, a Member of the House of Lords, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, and Mr Tony Nichols, Secretary, Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

Thursday 18 May 2006, Corrected Transcript
Witnesses: Baroness O'Neill of Bengarve CBE FBA, a Member of the House of Lords; Mr Peter Kellner, Chairman, YouGov; and Professor John Curtice, Department of Government, University of Strathclyde

Tuesday 16 May 2006, Corrected Transcript
Witness: Sir Gus O'Donnell.

Thursday 27 April 2006, Corrected transcript
Witness: Sir Alistair Graham, Chairman, and Richard Jarvis, Assistant Secretary, Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Thursday 16 March 2006, Corrected transcript
Witnesses: Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury and Rt Hon Lord King of Bridgwater CH, Members of the House of Lords.

Thursday 9 February 2006, Corrected transcript
Witness: Sir Patrick Brown KCB

Thursday 2 February 2006, Corrected transcript
Witnesses: Mr Peter Riddell, The Times, Mr John Lloyd, The Financial Times and Sir Simon Jenkins, The Guardian

Press Notices:

27 April 2007
PASC calls for new independent public standards commission

25 April 2007
PASC to publish report on Ethics and Standards

5 June 2006
PASC to take further evidence for its Ethics inquiry

15 May 2006
PASC to take evidence for its Ethics inquiry from Baroness O'Neill, Peter Kellner and Professor John Curtice

24 April 2006
Sir Alistair Graham to give evidence to the Committee

22 March 2006
PASC to investigate propriety and honours

14 March 2006
PASC to probe scrutiny of political honours

13 March 2006
PASC to hear from former Cabinet Ministers

14 November 2005
Guarding the guardians: PASC inquires into ethical regulators

Issues and Questions Paper