Recommendation RHI-43: Independent Compliance Assessment
From The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme, published 13 March 2020.
Recommendation
In addition, the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly ought, in the Inquiry's view, to give due consideration to an independent mechanism to assess compliance with codes of conduct in public life as they apply to Ministers and Special Advisers. Whatever route is chosen, there must in future also be a focus on keeping standards of conduct clear, consistent, up-to-date and reflective of good practice. How this is done will be a matter for debate, but the principles of independence, transparency and periodic reporting to the people of Northern Ireland must be at the core.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry recommended independent assessment of compliance with ministerial and special adviser conduct codes. In October 2021, the Northern Ireland Executive accepted the recommendation with the exception of considering an independent mechanism to assess special advisers' compliance (Northern Ireland Executive response, Oct 2021). It stated that revised codes of conduct and ministerial enforcement arrangements had been introduced, while delivering induction programmes and publishing civil servants' interests required further work (Northern Ireland Executive response, Oct 2021). The Northern Ireland Audit Office found in October 2024 that the recommendation had been implemented (Northern Ireland Audit Office, Oct 2024).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 5 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
These recommendations can be accepted in full, with the exception of the consideration of an independent mechanism to assess special advisers’ compliance with the Code of Conduct.
They have been addressed through work to date, including:
• revisions to the Ministerial Code of Conduct, Code of Conduct for Special Advisers and NICS Code of Ethics, and the introduction of new Guidance for Ministers;
• the publication of new enforcement arrangements for ministerial standards of behaviour;
• agreement on the development of a multi-year outcomes-focussed Programme for Government, aligned with the Budget, including stakeholder engagement and consultation;
• departmental induction and briefing for Ministers on the return of the Executive, and Executive away-days;
• the strengthening of Private Offices including the higher grading of the Private Secretary and Assistant Private Secretary roles;
• identification of the team where matters of policy in respect of Special Advisers are to be dealt with.
Further work is required to:
• deliver induction programmes for Ministers and for special advisers;
• arrange for publication of relevant interests of civil servants.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: These are the Northern Ireland Executive's words from Annex A, "Summary of Recommendations and Response", published on this page with the Executive Response to the RHI Inquiry Report Recommendations and Action Plan on 7 October 2021, the day the Executive agreed it. The Department of Finance publishes the response, but it is the Executive's, so the site records it under the Executive. The annex is a PDF that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links it.
Site note: Annex A gives this passage once, for the recommendations under its heading "MINISTERS AND SPECIAL ADVISERS": recommendations 5, 6, 7, 25, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43. It is the Executive's response to the group, not to this recommendation alone. The exception the passage states, an independent mechanism to assess special advisers' compliance with the Code of Conduct, is part of this recommendation, which also asks for such a mechanism for Ministers. The site records the response as partially accepted.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Northern Ireland Executive has been found in the sources searched (last checked 31 January 2026). This is separate from the response above.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
NI Audit Office (15 October 2024)
Implemented.
Site note: This is the Northern Ireland Audit Office's assessment, from Appendix 4 of its second report on the Inquiry's recommendations (15 October 2024), the column "2024 NIAO Assessment". The Audit Office monitors implementation at the Inquiry's request; its assessment is shown beside the Executive's own account and does not set the recommendation's status.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Northern Ireland Executive
Response - NI Audit Office
Finding