Independent Compliance Assessment
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.
- The NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024) assessed this recommendation as Implemented, stating that the NI Assembly Commissioner for Standards now has a statutory remit to investigate ministerial code breaches under the Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2024 (NIAO Second Progress Report, October 2024).
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Not Accepted
Response
Not Accepted[Note: The NI Executive responded to recommendations 5-7, 25, 37, 39-43 together as a group under the 'Ministers and Special Advisers' theme.] NI Executive Response (October 2021): 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.
Progress Timeline
NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024): Implemented. The NI Assembly Commissioner for Standards now has a statutory remit to investigate ministerial code breaches under the Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021. Note: the NI Executive's October 2021 response did not accept this recommendation, but the Assembly legislated for it independently.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
The NI Executive explicitly did not accept the recommendation for an independent mechanism to assess compliance with codes of conduct for ministers and SpAds.
View detailed findings
This was the only recommendation the Executive did not fully accept. The inquiry recommended an independent mechanism to assess compliance with codes of conduct as they apply to Ministers and Special Advisers. The October 2021 Executive Response stated all recommendations can be accepted in full with the exception of the consideration of an independent mechanism. This means NI has no independent ethics watchdog for ministerial conduct.