Information on IPSA

IPSA holds the information that you request.

Taking your requests for information in turn:

• Who decides who should be on IPSA?

• How many people make up IPSA and what are the various roles?

As you may be aware, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) consists of a Board, and executive staff: who carry out the day-to-day administrative functions, such as validating and paying MPs’ claims for business costs and expenses, and paying the salaries and pensions of MPs and their staff.

Appointments to the board of IPSA are made by a statutory process which is established in Schedule 1 of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009.  I have attached a copy of Schedule 1 for your reference.  Information on the most recent appointment of members to IPSA’s Board is detailed in an Explanatory Memorandum prepared by the House of Commons vote office.  Please also find attached a copy of that memorandum.

IPSA’s current board consists of four board members and a Chairman.  The current members are:

• Professor Sir Ian Kennedy (Chairman)

• Sir Neil Butterfield

• Elizabeth Padmore

• Anne Whitaker

• Professor Tony Wright

Further information on the board members is published on our website, which provides both the names and biographical information of IPSA Board Members.  You may view the information via this link to the About Us section of our website.

The FOIA states that information that is accessible by other means is not subject to release.  Therefore, as the information you have requested is already available on our website, it is exempt from disclosure under section 21 of the FOIA (information already accessible to applicant by other means).

IPSA’s executive staff consists of 54 individuals.  Please find attached, in Annex A, a list of all the roles at IPSA, grouped by department.  This list represents all the separate roles and not the number of individuals employed in each role, or the number of full-time equivalent employees. 

IPSA’s executive staff are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

• What are the various members of IPSA paid?

The remuneration of the five members of IPSA’s board are published in our Annual Report and Accounts yearly.  You can find these reports on our website by following this link.

The FOIA states that information that is accessible by other means is not subject to release.  Therefore, as the information you have requested is already available on our website, it is exempt from disclosure under section 21 of the FOIA (information already accessible to applicant by other means).