Washminster

Washminster
Washminster

Thursday 3 July 2014

Standards in the House of Commons

The House of Commons wants your views on the standards system
 
The Standards Committee is holding an inquiry into the standards system in the House of Commons and is inviting written submissions from the public to inform the inquiry’s findings.
 
The inquiry is looking at the current system for considering complaints about MPs and ways the system could be improved.
 
The areas being examined include:
 
·         self-regulation in the House of Commons by MPs
 
·         the role of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and the Standards Committee
 
·         investigating complaints about MPs
 
·         penalties for MPs
 
To help inform submissions to the inquiry, a sub-committee looking at this issue has published an ‘issues and questions’ paper, setting out key questions and providing detailed background information.
 
The ‘issues and questions’ paper covers:
 
·         the role of MPs in the context of political parties, Parliament and the electorate
 
·         the current House of Commons standards system, including:
 
o   the role of the Standards Committee
o   the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
 
How to submit evidence
 
Detailed information on the preferred format for written evidence and where to send it is on the Committee’s webpages here: The Standards Review sub-committee issues call for evidence
 
If you would like to contribute a written submission to this inquiry, please read the ‘issues and questions’ paper for the key questions being asked by the Standards Committee and for background information on the current system in place. The deadline for submissions is Friday 8 August.
 
General guidance on submitting evidence to Select Committees is also available online.
 
More information
 
·         Standards Committee