The Committee on Standards
The Committee on Standards is appointed by the House
of Commons to oversee the work of the Parliamentary Commissioner
for Standards; to examine the arrangements proposed by the Commissioner
for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register
of Members' Interests and any other registers of interest established
by the House; to review from time to time the form and content
of those registers; to consider any specific complaints made in
relation to the registering or declaring of interests referred
to it by the Commissioner; to consider any matter relating to
the conduct of Members, including specific complaints in relation
to alleged breaches in the Code of Conduct which have been drawn
to the Committee's attention by the Commissioner; and to recommend
any modifications to the Code of Conduct as may from time to time
appear to be necessary.
Current membership
Rt hon Kevin Barron MP (Labour, Rother Valley) (Chair)
Sir Paul Beresford MP (Conservative, Mole Valley)
Mr Robert Buckland MP (Conservative, South Swindon)
Rt hon Tom Clarke MP (Labour, Coatbridge, Chryston
and Bellshill)
Mr Christopher Chope MP (Conservative, Christchurch)
Mr Geoffrey Cox MP (Conservative, Torridge and
West Devon)
Sharon Darcy (Lay Member)
Sir Nick Harvey MP (Liberal Democrat, North
Devon)
Mr Peter Jinman (Lay Member)
Fiona O'Donnell MP (Labour, East Lothian)
Mr Walter Rader (Lay Member)
Heather Wheeler MP (Conservative, South
Derbyshire)
Dr Alan Whitehead MP (Labour, Southampton Test)
The following were also Members of the Committee
during the Parliament:
Annette Brooke MP (Liberal Democrat, Mid Dorset
and North Poole)
Powers
The constitution and powers of the Committee are
set out in Standing Order No. 149. In particular, the Committee
has power to order the attendance of any Member of Parliament
before the committee and to require that specific documents or
records in the possession of a Member relating to its inquiries,
or to the inquiries of the Commissioner, be laid before the Committee.
The Committee has power to refuse to allow its public proceedings
to be broadcast. The Law Officers, if they are Members of Parliament,
may attend and take part in the Committee's proceedings, but may
not vote.
Publications
The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published
by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications
of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet
at: www.parliament.uk/standards.
Committee staff
The current staff of the Committee are Eve Samson
(Clerk), Danielle Nash (Second Clerk) and Miss Christine McGrane
(Committee Assistant).
Contacts
All correspondence should be addressed to The Clerk
of the Committee on Standards, Journal Office, House of Commons,
London SW1A 0AA. The telephone number for general enquiries is
020 7219 6615
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