Prime Minister’s ethics adviser to be questioned by MPs
The Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, Sir Laurie Magnus, will be questioned by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the scope and powers of his role. Appointed by the Prime Minister in December, Sir Laurie’s first investigation in the role was concerning Nadhim Zahawi’s tax affairs and saw Zahawi lose his ministerial position.
Meeting details
Sir Laurie will be quizzed on how he was appointed, his relevant experience, the role of the Independent Adviser and how he proposes to approach the position, which exists to advise on the application of the Ministerial Code. It follows the high-profile resignations of the two preceding Independent Advisers, Lord Geidt, who resigned in June shortly following his appearance at the Committee over the legality of Ministerial actions relating to international trade policy on steel tariffs, and Sir Alex Allan in 2020 after the then Prime Minister rejected his advice on alleged bullying by the Home Secretary.
The Committee recommended the Government legislate to make the Independent Adviser a statutory position in its December report ‘The Propriety of Governance in Light of Greensill’.