Ethics Committee Chairman To Visit Stormont

Stormont will be visited by the chairman of a Westminster committee examining political ethics, to get the views of Northern Ireland Assembly members.

Sir Christopher Kelly, who is chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said Northern Ireland had made some good progress in recent years.

Sir Christopher said he welcomed the end of double-jobbing, where politicians hold multiple seats in Westminster, Stormont and councils.

Adding that he wanted to hear "what helps drive high standards in public life in Northern Ireland and what more can be done to build public confidence".

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Christopher said: "Since the committee was established under Lord Nolan, a lot of regulators have been established, there is much more transparency in public life as a result of the Freedom of Information Act."

"What my committee is involved at the moment is standing back and taking stock to see what we have learned and what does and doesn't work.

"We are looking at different contexts, and of course the context is different in Northern Ireland than it is other parts of the country, not least because while politics is partisan everywhere, it is more partisan here.

"In the Westminster parliament, there is an individual whose job it is to investigate the facts as to whether a code has been breached, then the prime minister passes judgement.

"As I understand it, here you move straight to an assembly vote."

The committee was established in 1994, initially to deal with concerns about unethical conduct amongst MPs. It has a UK-wide remit and it is currently carrying out a review of ethics and best practice in political life.

(H)