Lay Member - Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - House [...]

Lay Member – Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – House of Commons

Positions: 1

Band / Grade: Various

Contract Type: Agency, Freelance

The appointment will be for a fixed term of five years. The appointment is not renewable.

Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – House of Commons

IPSA

IPSA was established by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 as an independent authority responsible for both the regulation and administration of MPs’ staffing and business costs and for paying the salaries of MPs and their staff.

The Speaker’s Committee

The Speaker’s Committee has two statutory functions:

• To agree IPSA’s annual estimate of resources before it is agreed formally by the House of Commons;
• To agree the Speaker’s selection, on the basis of fair and open competition, of the chair and board members of IPSA before their approval by the House of Commons.

The Lay Members were added to the Committee as a result of a 2009 report on MPs’ expenses and allowances by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL). The role of the lay member is to:

• Bring an external view to the deliberations of the Speaker’s Committee, drawing on their experience from different walks of life;
• Reflect the growing practice in self-regulatory bodies to accept lay membership as a means of widening their horizon, increasing their experience base and strengthening their legitimacy with the public;
• Promote greater transparency and independence in the Speaker’s Committee’s operations.

Appointments are for a non-renewable fixed term not exceeding five years. The current recruitment is occasioned by the forthcoming departure of Peter Blausten at the end of his fixed term in January 2025.

In addition to the lay members, the Committee comprises:

• Three ex-officio members: the Speaker as Chair, the Leader of the House (Rt Hon. Lucy Powell MP) and the Chair of the Standards Committee (Alberto Costa MP);
• Five MPs appointed by the House.

Role specification

Purpose

Participate as a full voting member of the Speaker’s Committee for IPSA, contributing an expert understanding and experience of public, private or not-for-profit sector management and governance.

Description of Duties

• Expertly examine and as appropriate challenge the proposed estimate of resources presented by the IPSA Board;
• Make judgments and decisions, taking into account the operational needs of IPSA, the House and MPs.

Person specification

All candidates will need to be able to demonstrate:

• An ability to command confidence and act with independence and integrity in a complex, politically sensitive environment;
• An ability to communicate complex information succinctly;
• An ability to manage relationships with diverse, complex or senior stakeholders;
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Experience of regulatory matters or organisational transformation.

Terms of Appointment

This is a remunerated non-executive position paying £300 per eight-hour day (proportionate to actual hours worked). Travel and other reasonable expenses will be paid.

Length of appointment and expected commitment

The appointment will be for a fixed term of five years. The appointment is not renewable.

How to apply

To apply for this post, you are required to submit the following documentation by no later than 23:55 on Friday, 3 January 2025:

• A CV (maximum two pages);
• A Supporting Statement (maximum 800 words);
• The names and contact details for two referees.

If you would like to apply for this role, please apply via the Nurole Application Portal.

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