Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
Encyclopedia
The Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, or Speaker's Committee for IPSA, is a body created under the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009
to scrutinise the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
. The committee also plays a role in selecting the members of IPSA. The chair and members are selected on an Address to the Queen from the House of Commons, but the names are chosen by the Speaker with the agreement of the committee.
(who also serves as its chair), the Leader of the House of Commons
, the chair of the Standards and Privileges Select Committee, and five others appointed by the House of Commons who are not Ministers of the Crown
. The Shadow Leader of the House has been appointed as one of the opposition members of the committee since its inception, but the act creating it does not specify she will be a member and does not assign a member to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition as is done to provide that result with the House of Commons Commission
. The committee chooses its chair from among its members. As of 26 January 2011, the members of the committee are as follows:
Parliamentary Standards Act 2009
The Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that entered into force in part on 21 July 2009, largely as a response to the Parliamentary expenses scandal...
to scrutinise the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is an independent body created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, largely as a response to the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009. It establishes and monitors the expenses scheme for Members of the House of Commons, and is responsible for...
. The committee also plays a role in selecting the members of IPSA. The chair and members are selected on an Address to the Queen from the House of Commons, but the names are chosen by the Speaker with the agreement of the committee.
Composition
The committee comprises eight MPs: the Speaker of the House of CommonsSpeaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
(who also serves as its chair), the Leader of the House of Commons
Leader of the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons...
, the chair of the Standards and Privileges Select Committee, and five others appointed by the House of Commons who are not Ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
. The Shadow Leader of the House has been appointed as one of the opposition members of the committee since its inception, but the act creating it does not specify she will be a member and does not assign a member to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition as is done to provide that result with the House of Commons Commission
House of Commons Commission
The House of Commons Commission is the overall supervisory body of the House of Commons Administration in the United Kingdom. The Commission is a corporate body established by the House of Commons Act 1978...
. The committee chooses its chair from among its members. As of 26 January 2011, the members of the committee are as follows:
- John BercowJohn BercowJohn Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
, ex officio as Speaker of the House of Commons - Sir George YoungSir George Young, 6th BaronetSir George Samuel Knatchbull Young, 6th Baronet is a British politician. He is currently the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal, and has served as a Conservative Party Member of Parliament since 1974, having represented North West Hampshire since 1997, and Ealing Acton before...
(Conservative), ex officio as Leader of the House of Commons - Kevin BarronKevin BarronKevin John Barron is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Rother Valley since 1983.-Early life:...
, ex officio as Chair of the Standards and Privileges Committee - Hilary BennHilary BennHilary James Wedgwood Benn is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds Central since 1999. He served in the Cabinet as Secretary of State for International Development from 2003 to 2007 and as the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs...
(Labour), Shadow Leader of the House of Commons - Nick BrownNick BrownNicholas Hugh "Nick" Brown is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East since 1983...
(Labour) - Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat)
- Laura SandysLaura SandysLaura Jane Sandys is a British Conservative Party politician. She has been the Member of Parliament for South Thanet since the general election on 6 May 2010.-Early life:...
(Conservative) - Charles Walker (Conservative)