£104,000 budget cut for headless public standards committee
The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), which monitors the conduct of MPs and ministers, has had its budget slashed by £104,000 – from £504,000 in 2012-13, to £400,000 in 2013-14 – and its secretariat and members’ numbers cut.
The government announced in February that it would recruit to replace chairman Sir Christopher Kelly, who subsequently left his post in March. However, a new chairman has yet to be appointed. The Cabinet Office said this will happen “shortly”.
Meanwhile, the CSPL has put out a call for evidence on lobbying, with a deadline of 31 July.
The CSPL has been weakened in recent years by the PM’s preference for cabinet secretary-led inquiries.