“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. 

The other new role of engaging with public sector bodies on their codes of conduct and oversight mechanisms will take time to devise and implement as the EIC takes shape.

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”.