Select committee: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Propriety, ethics and the wider standards landscape in the UK
Open
Opened 3 Jun 2025
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
The Government has a manifesto commitment to “restore confidence in government and ensure ministers are held to the highest standards". Trust in government and the political system more widely is essential to the proper functioning and prosperity of a democratic state. Concerns with ethical standards are not new, however controversy surrounding the propriety of conduct of those in public life was a particularly prominent part of political life during the last parliament. This has raised questions as to whether the current system of ethical standards regulation is sufficient or even fit for purpose. Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.
Where it stands
The inquiry is open, opened 3 June 2025.
The committee has not published a report yet.
Evidence
- 5 oral evidence sessionsLatest 21 April 2026
- 13 witnesses
Recent activity
- Letter from Baroness Anderson, Parliamentary Secretary on Propriety, ethics and the wider standards landscape oral evidence session on 21.4.26, dated 11.5.262 June 2026, Correspondence
- Oral evidence session21 April 2026, Oral evidence
- Oral evidence session14 April 2026, Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Ellen Atkinson · Cabinet Office,
Simon Madden · NHSX,
The Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent
|
View ↗ |
| 14 Apr 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE
|
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| 24 Feb 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Daniel Greenberg CB,
Ed Humpherson CB,
John Pullinger CB · Electoral Commission,
Paula Sussex CBE
|
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| 3 Feb 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Councillor Iain Hamilton · National Association of Local Councils,
Councillor Matt Boughton · Local Government Association,
Kim Wright · Solace
|
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| 12 Nov 2025 |
Oral evidence session
Rt Hon Sir Peter Riddell CBE · Cabinet Office,
The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL
|
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Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Councillor Iain Hamilton · Chair | National Association of Local Councils | 1 |
| Councillor Matt Boughton · Chair of the LGA Safer and Stronger Communities Committee | Local Government Association | 1 |
| Daniel Greenberg CB | Not recorded | 1 |
| Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE | Not recorded | 1 |
| Ed Humpherson CB | Not recorded | 1 |
| Ellen Atkinson | Cabinet Office | 1 |
| John Pullinger CB · Chair | Electoral Commission | 1 |
| Kim Wright · Spokesperson on Leadership and Learning | Solace | 1 |
| Paula Sussex CBE | Not recorded | 1 |
| Rt Hon Sir Peter Riddell CBE | Cabinet Office | 1 |
| Simon Madden · Director of Policy & Strategy | NHSX | 1 |
| The Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent | Not recorded | 1 |
| The Lord Evans of Weardale KCB DL | Not recorded | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun 2026 | To committee | Letter from Baroness Anderson, Parliamentary Secretary on Propriety, ethics and the wider standards landscape oral evidence session on 21.4.26, dated 11.5.26 |
| 3 Sep 2025 | To committee | Letter from Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on Propriety and ethics, dated 21.7.25 |