New ethics commission welcome, but stronger rules - backed in law - are needed.

Transparency International UK welcomes the government’s announcement of an Ethics and Integrity Commission and attempts to introduce monetary sanctions for rule breaches by former ministers. 

The proposals provide greater clarity in a fragmented standards landscape, but tougher statutory rules on business appointments are needed to restore trust in the ‘revolving door’ to the private sector.  

Today the Government released its long-awaited policy on reforming standards in government by introducing plans to deliver on its manifesto commitment of an Ethics and Integrity Commission. It also outlined potential new fines and plans for the oversight of former ministers and public officials leaving Government.  

However, it is unclear how the new financial penalties will be enforced and there are no changes to the rules on the revolving door, which urgently need strengthening.   [1] 

Additionally, without introducing statutory backing for either the new commission itself, the post of the Independent Advisor or the ministerial code, oversight of standards in government still remains vulnerable to the whim of the Prime Minister of the day. 

Daniel Bruce, Chief Executive, Transparency International UK said: 

“We welcome this elevation of upholding standards in government as well attempts to beef up the sanctions for breaches of the revolving door rules.  

However, without proper legal backing of the rules governing ministerial behaviour during and after government, rule breaking can still go unpunished. If oversight of civil servants warrants a commission on a statutory footing, why not also the oversight of ministers?  

Only when there is legal underpinning of both the ministerial code and business appointment rules - including legally enforceable penalties - will we have a resilient and reliable standards regime. Today's largely organisational changes still rest on the 'good chaps theory' of integrity in government.” 

Former ministers who breach the rules on the revolving door will now be expected to repay their severance pay as a financial penalty for rule breaking. Oversight of the rules has now been split between the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and the Civil Service Commission. 

A new Ethics and Integrity Commission, which will subsume the existing Committee on Standards in Public Life, will also formalise co-ordination of the standards bodies.