Peter Blausten appointed as new lay member for SCIPSA

• Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Lay members must be appointed to the SCIPSA in accordance with Schedule 3 of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. This provides that:

• there should be three lay members;
• a lay member may not be, or have been, a Member of either House;
• candidates whose names are put to the House must be selected by the Speaker on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition;
• appointments are for a fixed term, of up to five years; and
• a lay member may not be reappointed.

The Act requires that appointments are made by resolution of the House, with the agreement of the Speaker.

Mr Blausten was selected by the Speaker on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, in accordance with the statute.

The recruitment competition required by the statute was conducted at the Speaker's request by a Board chaired by the Clerk Assistant, Dr John Benger. The other board members were: Sir Hugh Bayley (former MP for York Central), Michelle Barnes (independent HR consultant) and Mike Page (HR Business Partner, House of Commons Service).

Mr Blausten was appointed for five years, beginning on 27 January 2020.

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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