The Ethics and Integrity Commission promotes the highest standards in public life, reports to the Prime Minister on matters concerning ethical standards, and advises public authorities on the development of clear codes of conduct with effective oversight arrangements.
The Commission safeguards the Seven Principles of Public Life, which outline the ethical standards all those working in the public sector are expected to adhere to. The Principles apply to all public office holders and private and voluntary organisations delivering services paid for by public funds.
The Commission conducts research and thematic inquiries, collecting evidence to assess specific institutions, policies and regulatory mechanisms, making recommendations to government and others where appropriate. The Commission also convenes ethics and standards bodies across central government (and Parliamentary standards bodies, with their agreement).
The Commission also works to engage and inform the wider public on the values, rules and oversight mechanisms that govern standards in public life. The Commission is not a regulator and has no remit to investigate individual cases.
The Commission was announced by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in Parliament on 21 July 2025. Our terms of reference were issued by the Prime Minister via a letter to the Chair, Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE, on 13 October 2025.
The Ethics and Integrity Commission was established by strengthening and reforming the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL). Previous CSPL publications are available here.
