Privileges Committee (2023)

Response

1) What is the most serious sanction that the privileges committee can apply to a minister who is found guilty of misdemeanours?
and
2) Can you please confirm the limits of what your privileges committee is able to do?

This information is held by the House of Commons.

In the first instance, please note that it is not the Committee who imposes sanctions against Members (including Ministers), but the whole of the House of Commons. The Committee of Privileges considers matters concerning privilege referred to it by the House of Commons, and if the Committee concludes that a breach of privilege or a contempt of the House has been committed, it will reports its conclusion back to the House and may accompany this with a requirement that the person/s concerned should apologise, or recommend that the House should impose a more severe sanction. Sanctions the Committee may recommend that the House impose include:

• Formal admonishment
• Suspension from the House for a specified period of time (with loss of salary)
• Expulsion from the House

Expulsion is therefore the most serious penalty that may be imposed for committing contempt. Please note however this requires an explicit decision of the House following a debate to impose this penalty, as with other sanctions. Please note additionally that a decision by the House to impose a suspension of 10 or more sitting days (or 14 calendar days) would also trigger a recall petition in the Member’s constituency under the terms of the Recall of MPs Act 2015.