Government to set up Ethics and Integrity Commission with remit to uphold “the highest ethical standards across the public sector”

The Cabinet Office said the Commission would have a stronger mandate and a wider remit that will include a new obligation to report annually to the Prime Minister on the overall health of the standards system.

It will also have a new function of regular engagement with public sector bodies “to assist them in the development of clear codes of conduct with effective oversight arrangements”.

The Commission will be responsible for convening and coordinating ethics bodies, formalising cooperation and the sharing of best practice.

It will be tasked with improving public understanding of the ethics system and will act as a ‘one-stop shop’ for members of the public looking for information on standards in public life, the Cabinet Office said.

The Government will provide a commitment to respond to all Ethics and Integrity Commission reports in a reasonable timeframe. This comes following criticism that previous recommendations were ignored.

Doug Chalmers, a retired Lieutenant General who is Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, will be chair of the new Commission.

The Cabinet Office has also announced that eligibility for ministerial severance payments will be tightened.

The Advisory Committee for Business Appointments (ACOBA), which vets the jobs that ministers and senior officials take after leaving government to avoid conflicts of interest, will meanwhile be closed.

Its functions will be split between the Civil Service Commission and the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said: “This overhaul will mean there are stronger rules, fewer quangos and clearer lines of accountability.

“The Committee on Standards in Public Life has played an important role in the past three decades. These changes give it a new mandate for the future.

“But whatever the institutional landscape, the public will in the end judge politicians and government by how they do their jobs and how they fulfil the principles of public service.”

Responding to the announcement, Doug Chalmers said: "The Committee is pleased that its work over the last 30 years has been recognised and that the government wants to retain and build on this model.

"Reporting annually to the Prime Minister on the health of the standards landscape and the government’s commitment to respond to the Ethics and Integrity Commission’s recommendations within a reasonable timeframe are both welcome and important changes, creating a more regular and visible dialogue on ethical issues across public life."

He added that the other new role of engaging with public sector bodies on their codes of conduct and oversight mechanisms would take time to devise and implement as the Ethics and Integrity Commission takes shape.

Chalmers said: "We look forward to further discussions with the government on the Terms of Reference and the resources needed to deliver the ambition set out for the Ethics and Integrity Commission”.