Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics

Committee on Standards in Public Life

The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an independent committee. It is currently chaired by Sir Christopher Kelly, and was set up in October 1994 under the chairmanship of Lord Nolan to examine concerns about standards of conduct in public office. Its remit was extended in November 1997 to cover the funding of political parties. The Committee is an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Cabinet Office reporting to the Prime Minister. The Cabinet Office conducted a Quinquennial Review [PDF document] of the Committee in 2000. The Quinquennial Review Report details the findings and conclusions of the review.

The Committee has conducted eleven inquiries. Further information about the work of the Committee and its reports can be obtained from visiting its website at www.public-standards.gov.uk.

Links to the Government and other responses to the Committees reports are set out below.

• The Government's response to the Committee's 1st report (Cm 2931, ISBN 0-10-129312-7) was published in July 1995. It is available to buy from the Stationery Office.
• The responses to the 2nd report from the various sectors were brought together, together with an update on actions following from the Committee's first report, in The Governance of Public Bodies: A Progress Report (Cm 3557, ISBN 0-10-135572-6), published in February 1997. It is available to buy from the Stationery Office.
• Government response to the Committees 3rd Report Standards of Conduct in Local Government in England, Wales and Scotland
• Government response to the Committees 4th Report [PDF document] - Review of Standards of conduct in executive NDPBs, NHS Trusts and local public spending bodies [link to Word document]
• Government response to the Committees 5th Report - The Funding of Political Parties in the United Kingdom
• Government response to the Committees 6th Report - Reinforcing Standards
• Government response to Committees legal research [PDF document] study into personal liability in public service organisations
• House of Lords Debate (2 July 2001) in response to the Committees 7th Report - Standards of Conduct in the House of Lords
• Government response to the Committees 9th Report [PDF document] - Defining the Boundaries within the Executive: Ministers, Special Advisers and the permanent Civil Service
• Government response to the Committee's 10th Report [PDF, 161KB] - Getting the Balance Right - Implementing Standards of Conduct in Public Life
• Response to the Committee's 11th Report  - Review of the Electorial Commission