Frequently Asked Questions

All the most commonly asked questions about the Committee and our work are answered below. If you can't find what you're looking for here, please use the Contact us page to get in touch.

• What is the Committee’s status? Is it a statutory body?
• So it’s not independent?
• What is its funding arrangement?
• How can it be independent if the Cabinet Office controls its funding?
• What is its budget?
• Why isn’t it properly independent, and funded by Parliament?
• Does the Committee have to get Government’s agreement to its workplan or inquiries?
• Is this the “Nolan Committee”?
• Are the Seven Principles of Public Life a statutory requirement?
• Can the Committee investigate individual cases or allegations of misconduct?
• Who is able to investigate my complaint regarding:
• Will the Committee deal with my complaint about [a Government Minister]?

What is the Committee’s status? Is it a statutory body?

No – it is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Cabinet Office.

So it’s not independent?

Yes, it is independent of the Department. For example, it does not have to adopt the Department’s objectives.

What is its funding arrangement?

The Committee and its Secretariat are funded from the Cabinet Office budget.

How can it be independent if the Cabinet Office controls its funding?

The amount of the Committee’s budget is not a problem in practice. Long-established arrangements exist for discussions between the Committee Chair and the Cabinet Secretary which can cover any budgetary issues if need be.

What is its budget?

The Committee budget for 2008/09 is £660,000.

Why isn’t it properly independent, and funded by Parliament?

No sponsored body in public life can be 100% independent. If the Committee were statutory, and/or accountable to Parliament, there would then be questions over its ability to mount inquiries into MPs or peers.

Does the Committee have to get Government’s agreement to its workplan or inquiries?

No. The requirement is to consult Government over proposed inquiries. The Committee does not need to seek the agreement of either Government or Parliament before announcing an inquiry or other piece of work.

Is this the “Nolan Committee”?

Lord Nolan was the first Chairman of the Committee. It was never formally called “Nolan Committee”; its formal name has always been the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Are the Seven Principles of Public Life a statutory requirement?

The Principles are not statutory. But that does not mean they have no force. Most public bodies have incorporated them into Codes of Practice and other internal standards that can then be taken into account, for example in cases before the relevant Ombudsman. Also, there are examples of the principles becoming statutory over time: eg. some of them underpin the Civil Service Code and are set out in the current draft Civil Service Bill which the Government is committed to take through Parliament during the 2008/09 Session.

Can the Committee investigate individual cases or allegations of misconduct?

The Committee is an advisory, not a regulatory body and its terms of reference specifically preclude it from investigating individual cases, or specific allegations of misconduct. Nor has the Committee any powers to require others to do so.

Who is able to investigate my complaint regarding:

Members of Parliament?
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards deals with complaints regarding MPs. The contact details are:

Mr John Lyons CB
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA

Government Departments?
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration looks at complaints regarding Government departments. Their contact details are as follows:

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Councillors?
The Standards Board for England investigates complaints regarding Councillors. The contact details are as follows:

Dr Robert Chilton
4th Floor
Griffin House
40 Lever Street
Manchester
M1 1BB

Local Authorities?
The Local Government Ombudsman investigates complaints arising from maladministration by local authorities. The contact details are as follows:

Mr Tony Redmond
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Will the Committee deal with my complaint about [a Government Minister]?

There is no specific individual or organisation whose job it is to assess complaints from the public against Ministers. If the Prime Minister thinks that an investigation into allegations of misconduct against a Minister would be appropriate, he can ask Sir Philip Mawer, the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests, to undertake an inquiry. You should therefore send any complaint about a Minister to the Direct Communications Unit at 10 Downing Street. If your complaint actually relates to a Minister’s conduct in his capacity as a Member of Parliament rather than as a Minister, you should send it to John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.