Frequently asked questions
What is the IPSA?
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is a new
and independent body created by the Parliamentary Standards Act (PSA) in
2009.
IPSA will put in place a new scheme of expenses
for MPs and be responsible for its regulation and operation.
The new rules will represent a clean break from the past and will
be based on clear principles of fairness, accountability, honesty,
transparency and independence.
When will the new scheme be ready?
IPSA will present the final scheme at the end of March 2010. The scheme will be implemented after the general election at the beginning of the new Parliament.
How is IPSA drawing up the new scheme?
IPSA has consulted widely with the public, interested organisations
and MPs themselves to help inform the new scheme.
During the consultation IPSA received
more than 2,500 responses, which are available to view on IPSA's dedicated
consultation website:
www.mpexpensesconsultation.org.uk.
All of the responses are being analysed and will
help inform the new scheme. The final decisions will be made by the
Board of IPSA. The new scheme does not have to be approved by MPs.
What about the report by the Committee on Standards in
Public Life?
IPSA is the sole independent body in charge of developing and
implementing the new scheme for MPs’ expenses.
The suggestions from the CSPL report will certainly help inform the
final scheme. IPSA was also obliged by the Parliamentary Standards Act
to consult the Committee further during the development of the scheme as
part of the consultation process.
Will IPSA be responsible for setting MPs’ salaries?
There is no current legislative mandate for setting the levels of
MPs’ salaries. Proposals to pass responsibility for setting MPs’
salaries to IPSA are being considered as part of the Constitutional Reform
and Governance Bill.
Who are the IPSA Board members?
Professor Sir Ian Kennedy is the Chair of IPSA. The other board
members are Jackie Ballard, the Rt. Hon Sir Scott Baker, Ken Olisa and Professor Isobel Sharp.
All appointments were made through an independent, rigorous, fair
and open competition.
What do the Board members earn?
Remuneration for the Chair is £700 per day plus reasonable expenses
incurred. The Chair is working for three days a week as the scheme is
being developed. It is expected this will reduce to one day a week.
Pay for the other board members is £400 per day, plus reasonable
expenses incurred. It is expected the members will work two days a
month.
Who is IPSA’s interim Chief Executive and what does he
earn?
Andrew McDonald took up post on 14th September 2009,
having previously been the Chief Executive of Government Skills, the Sector
Skills Council for Central Government and the Armed Forces.
The post of Interim Chief Executive is paid in the range £105,000 –
£115,000 per annum. This was benchmarked against similar public sector
roles and the salary compares favourably.
How many staff will be employed at IPSA?
In the set-up and transitional phase of IPSA, it is expected that
there will be 70 staff in place from April 2010. Following set-up,
IPSA will conduct a thorough organisational review to ensure that it is
operating in a cost effective and efficient way. It is expected that
the organisational review will be completed by the autumn of 2010.
Subject to the outcome of the organisational review and the remit of IPSA
remaining unaltered by Government legislation, it is expected that the
number of staff will progressively reduce towards 50.
How many staff will transfer from the House of
Commons Fees Office to IPSA?
Approximately 30 staff will be transferred from the Fees Office
(formally, the Operations Directorate of the House of Commons Department of
Resources). We are confident that the skills and experience they will bring
to IPSA will enable us to administer a workable and effective new scheme of
expenses within the tight deadlines we are working to.
How much will IPSA cost?
The estimated cost of setting up IPSA in 2009/10 is £6.6m. This
figure was laid before Parliament in 2009 and reflects the one-off costs of
establishing a new, independent public body of this sort.
After this initial expense, early indications
suggest that in terms of direct staffing costs, IPSA will cost less that the
previous House of Commons expenses system within the Fees Office.
The budget for 2010/11 will be made available
when finalised.
Will the public have access to details of MPs expenses
claims/are you publishing all expenses online?
Openness and transparency will be fundamental principles of the
IPSA. Details of what will be available online and how it will be accessible
will be available shortly.
What is IPSA’s statutory status?
IPSA is an independent and permanent body. It is not part of
Government, or of Parliament.
Where will IPSA be located?
IPSA will be based in Portland House,
How do I find out about jobs in IPSA?
All vacancies will be advertised on this website.
How can I contact IPSA?
Please email
info@ipsa.gsi.gov.uk
Or call the IPSA Helpline on: