Hello, I’m Doug Chalmers, chair of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.
It’s been seven months since the government established the new, independent Commission to succeed the Committee for Standards in Public Life. So, I thought it only right to provide an update on what we’ve been doing in that time.
At its heart, the EIC’s role is to promote the highest standards of conduct across our public life. We advise the Prime Minister and public authorities making recommendations following evidence-based inquiries.
In March, following extensive preparatory work, we launched our first major project as EIC, the public sector ombudsman review. Recent years have seen a series of lengthy and expensive public inquiries, from Grenfell to the infected blood scandal.
These revealed devastating organisational failures that could and should have been identified long before they resulted in tragedy.
Our review is asking a vital question. Can ombudsman bodies play an enhanced role in investigating systemic issues before they escalate and thereby helping public bodies make swift meaningful improvements?
We closed our call for written evidence in April and we’ll begin hearing oral testimony this month. Our final findings are due next spring.
Also in March, the prime minister asked the EIC to launch an immediate review into how influence within government is managed, looking at lobbying, business appointment rules, and financial disclosure. My fellow commission members and I welcomed this request. Why? This is an area where the commission has had a longstanding concern, and we agreed that the time is right for a thorough, independent review that builds on previous recommendations made by CSPL.
We’re moving at pace and have already held over twenty oral evidence sessions and received nineteen written submissions, hearing from a wide range of voices including government officials, journalists, and public interest groups. We aim to publish our recommendations this July before the summer recess.
As EIC, we have a significant new responsibility developing non-statutory guidance to assist the relevant public authorities comply with clause nine of the Public Office Accountability Bill once enacted. Codes of ethical conduct have always mattered to us, as they are a key vehicle by which the Nolan Principles, also known as the Principles of Public Life, are operationalised.
We’ve started work on developing a working hypothesis for what guidance might look like. We’ve also commissioned specialist research to determine how ethical codes are best embedded so they shape a public authorities’ culture so that public interest is front and centre in its decision-making.
In summary, the EIC is settling into its responsibilities well. We’re building on the foundation set by CSPL, but with a renewed energy for the challenges of the future.