Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Karin Smyth Excerpts

Tuesday 4th December 2018 General Committees

[Karin Smyth (Bristol South) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Robertson. I, too, thank the interview panel for its work, which often goes on unseen behind the scenes. The panel—the independent chair Mark Addison, Ruth Evans, Shrinivas Honap and Meg Munn—has been independent, transparent and diligent in that work, reviewing more than 179 applications. Its unanimous view is to support the appointment to the IPSA board of Richard Lloyd, whose previous experience the hon. Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys outlined.

The Speaker’s Committee report notes:

“Mr Lloyd exhibited a strong understanding of the role of IPSA and the critical challenges it faces”—

something that I think we all agree on. The Opposition agree with Mr Lloyd’s appointment, as recommended in the report, and wish him well in his new role.