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Sixth Report - Reinforcing Standards
January 2000

The Sixth Report reviewed the implementation of the recommendations contained in the First Report. It noted that, although many of the issues addressed in the First Report had been resolved, new issues had come to the fore. The Sixth Report examined for the first time, therefore, a number of related areas, such as the status and regulation of special advisers, and rules governing the sponsorship of government activities, as well as the lobbying of Ministers and civil servants.

The Report contained 41 recommendations, and four observations, which included:

• further reform of the House of Commons disciplinary procedures in cases involving allegations of serious misconduct;
• revision of the Ministerial Code;
• the prompt introduction of a Civil Service Act;
• a statutory limit on the number of special advisers and a new code of conduct;
• Ministers and civil servants to keep a record of all contacts with lobbyists;
• stronger guidance about sponsorship of government activities;
• a definitive list of task forces