The Prime Minister has announced the appointment of two new members to the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
The Rt Hon Gillian Shephard DL MP takes up appointment as the Conservative Party nominee in succession to the Rt Hon Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market OBE. Baroness Maddock takes up appointment as the Liberal Democrat Party nominee in succession to Lord Goodhart QC. Both appointments are for three years in the first instance. The Rt Hon Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market and Lord Goodhart are both stepping down from the Committee on completion of their second terms of appointment.
The Prime Minister noted his gratitude to them both for the valuable work they have undertaken on the Committee over the last six years, and the significant contribution they have made to improving standards in public life.
Biographical Notes
1. Baroness Diana Maddock taught in Southampton, Bournemouth and Sweden until she had a family and became involved in politics in the mid 70’s.
Baroness Maddock joined the Liberal Party in 1976. She was elected to Southampton City Council in 1984, only giving up her seat when she was elected to Parliament as MP for Christchurch at a by-election in 1993. On the council she was Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and had a particular interest in housing and energy conservation.
She served as Member of Parliament for Christchurch from 1993-1997. During that time she served on the committees of a number of Parliamentary Bills covering Housing, Finance and Building Societies She was also Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats on housing, the family and women’s issues.
In 1994 Baroness Maddock came out number 1 in the Private Members Bill Ballot. She chose the Home Energy Conservation Bill, which she successfully piloted through all its parliamentary stages to become the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995.
She is President of the National Housing Forum, a Vice-President of the National Housing Federation, and a Vice-President of The National Home Improvement Council and National Energy Action. She is also a Trustee of the National Energy Foundation and the Wessex Medical Trust.
Baroness Maddock has been a life peer since November 1997. In the House of Lords she is Housing Spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats and a member of the Lords European Union Select Committee.
From 1998-2000 she was Federal President of the Liberal Democrat Party.
2. The Rt Hon Gillian Shephard DL MP has been MP for South West Norfolk since 1987. Before entering Parliament, she was an inspector of schools, worked in independent television and lectured for the WEA and the Cambridge University Extra-Mural Board. She was a Magistrate, a County Councillor, a Mental Health Act Commissioner, and Chairman of two Health Authorities.
Five years after entering the House of Commons she was appointed to the Cabinet, where she served between 1992 and 1997 successively as Secretary of State for Employment, Minister of Agriculture, Secretary of State for Education, and Secretary of State for Education and Employment.
In Opposition Mrs Shephard served as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, and Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. She is currently a member of the DEFRA Select Committee.
Mrs Shephard is a member of the Council of Oxford University, a member of the Franco British Council, and an occasional Lecturer at Queen Mary and Westfield College. She is an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda’s College, Oxford, and a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Norfolk.
Further Information
3. The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office. It was established in October 1994 with the following terms of reference:
‘To examine current concerns about standards of conduct of all holders of public office, including arrangements relating to financial and commercial activities, and make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements which might be required to ensure the highest standards of propriety in public life.
For these purposes, public office should include: Ministers, civil servants and advisers; Members of Parliament and UK Members of the European Parliament; Members and senior officers of all non-departmental public bodies and of national health service bodies; non-ministerial office holders; members and other senior officers of other bodies discharging publicly-funded functions; and elected members and other senior officers of local authorities.’ Hansard (HC) 25 October 1994, col 758.
In November 1997, additional terms of reference were announced:
‘To review issues in relation to the funding of political parties, and to make recommendations as to any changes in present arrangements.’ Hansard (HC) 12 November 1997, col 899.
4. The first Chairman of the Committee was The Rt. Hon. Lord Nolan (1994-97) who was succeeded by Lord Neill of Bladen QC (1997 to 2001). Lord Neill was succeeded in February 2001 by the current Chairman, Sir Nigel Wicks.
5. The membership of the Committee is:
- Sir Nigel Wicks (Chair)
- Sir Anthony Cleaver
- Rita Donaghy OBE
- Professor Hazel Genn CBE
- Sir Alistair Graham
- Frances Heaton
- Baroness Diana Maddock
- Rabbi Julia Neuberger
- Rt Hon Gillian Shephard DL MP
- Rt Hon Chris Smith MP
6. The Chairman receives £380 per day for his work on the Committee and the members are paid £180 per day, provided they are not separately in receipt of a salary from public funds. The expenses of the Chairman and members incurred in the course of their work for the Committee are met in full.
7. Additional information about the Committee and its work is available on its website at www.public-standards.gov.uk (external link)
delicious
digg
facebook
