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Code of conduct

Code of conduct

Contents

Introduction

  1. The Ethics and Integrity Commission was formed on 13 October 2025 by expanding the Committee on Standards in Public Life. The Commission is an independent advisory, non-departmental public body that reports to the Prime Minister. It is sponsored by the Propriety and Constitution Group in the Cabinet Office, which also provides the Commission’s budget.
  2. The overarching purpose of the Ethics and Integrity Commission is to advise on arrangements for upholding the highest ethical standards in public life and to promote the Seven Principles of Public Life.
  3. This code of conduct sets out the values and standards of behaviour expected of members of the Commission. The code applies to all forms of communication and interaction, including in digital and social media communication.

The Seven Principles of Public Life

  1. The members of the Ethics and Integrity Commission are expected to uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life in their actions and behaviours.
  1. The Principles are:

Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Expected Behaviour

  1. The members of the Commission must at all times:
    1. observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relation to the advice they provide;
    2. be accountable through the Prime Minister to Parliament and to the public more generally for the activities and output of the Commission;
    3. be as open and transparent as possible in making available information about the Commission’s activities, complying fully with the Freedom of Information Act 2000;
    4. treat fellow Commission and staff members with courtesy and respect; and
    5. ensure that the resources of the Commission are used prudently and in the public interest.

Standards of Conduct

  1. Members of the Commission must:
    1. comply with this code of conduct and any protocols or procedures derived from it and ensure that they understand their duties, rights and responsibilities as Commission members;
    2. not misuse information gained in the course of their public service for personal gain or for political purpose, nor seek to use the opportunity of public service to promote their private interests or those of connected persons, firms, businesses or other organisations; and
    3. independent members are expected to bring an independent perspective to the work of the Commission and not engage in party political activities. They must not hold any paid or unpaid office in a political party. If there is any doubt about taking on a role or activity that could amount to political activity, or be perceived as such, members should consult the Chair of the Commission or the Head of Commission Staff before proceeding.
    4. political members are not barred from political activities, but would be expected not to hold Ministerial or Front-bench office for their parties and not to be motivated by party-political considerations in dealing with issues affecting the Commission’s work, either during Commission discussions or elsewhere.

Compliance

  1. Individual Commission members can be removed from office by the Prime Minister if they fail to perform the duties required of them in line with the standards expected in public office.

Raising concerns

  1. If a member of the Commission has a concern about a possible breach of this Code or a concern about misconduct or wrongdoing in any other areas, then they have a responsibility to raise that internally with the Chair of the Commission or the Director General of the Propriety and Constitution Group in the Cabinet Office.

Handling conflicts of interests

  1. The purpose of the following provisions is to avoid any danger of Commission members being influenced, or appearing to be influenced, by their private interests in the exercise of their public duties.

Registration of interests

  1. All Commission members should register in the Commission’s Register of Interests any private interest which might influence their judgement or which could reasonably be thought by others to do so.  Members should seek advice from the Head of Commission Staff if at all unsure about any possible real or perceived conflict of interest.
  1. Commission members should register:
    1. relevant personal direct and indirect pecuniary interests;
    2. relevant direct and indirect pecuniary interests of close family members of which Commission members could reasonably be expected to be aware; and
    3. relevant personal non-pecuniary interests, including those which arise from membership of clubs and other organisations.
  1. “Relevant” interest, whether pecuniary or non-pecuniary and whether direct or indirect, means any such interest which might influence the judgement of a Commission member or which could reasonably be thought by others to influence his or her judgement in the exercise of his or her public duties; “indirect pecuniary interest” means an interest which arises from connection with bodies which have a direct pecuniary interest or from being a business partner of, or employed by, a person with such an interest.[1]
  1. Members should exercise the utmost care in accepting hospitality or gifts where there could be a real or perceived conflict with their membership of the Commission.
  1. Members must register any gifts, benefits or hospitality with a value over £140 which they receive from a UK or overseas source which relates to their role as a member of the Commission. They must also register multiple benefits from the same source if these have a value of more than £140 in a calendar year. They must declare in the Register of Interests all such gifts, benefits or hospitality (including gifts that are received and surrendered).
  1. The Register of Interests should be kept up to date and published on the Commission’s website within one month of any updates.
  1. Interests remain in the Register for twelve months after they have expired, or longer if the member deems the interest to continue to be relevant.
  1. Members should consult the EIC Guidance and Protocols note when registering their interests.

Oral declaration of interests

  1. An oral declaration of any relevant interest, as defined above, should be made at any Commission meeting if it relates specifically to a particular issue under consideration, and it should be recorded.

Withdrawal from meetings

  1. If the outcome of any discussion at a Commission meeting could have a direct pecuniary effect on a Commission member, that member should not participate in the discussion or determination of matters in which he or she has such an interest and should withdraw from the meeting (even if held in public).

Register of stakeholder meetings

  1. The Commission publishes monthly a register of meetings with stakeholders on the Commission’s website.

Personal liability of Commission members

  1. Legal proceedings by a third party against individual Commission members of advisory bodies are very exceptional. A Commission member may be personally liable if he or she makes a fraudulent or negligent statement which results in a loss to a third party; or may commit a breach of confidence under common law or a criminal offence under insider dealing legislation, if he or she misuses information gained through their position. However, the Government has indicated that individual Commission members who have acted honestly, reasonably, in good faith and without negligence will not have to meet out of their own personal resources any personal civil liability which is incurred in execution or purported execution of their Commission functions. This includes the costs of defending proceedings. Commission members who need further advice should consult the Head of Commission Staff in the first instance.

[1] Members should consult ‘Ethics and Integrity Commission Guidance and Protocols’ when registering their interests.