New chair and members of the Independent Expert Panel appointed

The IEP was created in 2020 to hear appeals and determine sanctions in relation to complainants of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct made under the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) against current and former MPs. The establishment of the IEP reflected Dame Laura Cox’s recommendation in her report into bullying of staff that such cases should be decided completely independently of MPs.

Since 2022 the IEP has also heard appeals from MPs found to have breached the Code of Conduct by the Committee on Standards.

Members of the IEP are appointed by the House following a fair and open recruitment process. The new Chair will be Rt Hon Sir Adrian Fulford, and the new members are Lyndsey de Mestre KC, Andrew Hoyle and Wendy Williams CBE. More details on the process and the successful candidates can be found in the House of Commons Commission’s report.

The new members will hold the posts for six years, beginning on 25 November. They will join four continuing members of the IEP whose terms expire in 2026.

The new Chair Sir Adrian Fulford said:

“I am honoured to have been appointed by the House to chair the IEP. Parliament and the House of Commons is at the heart of our democracy; and it is vital that the public, and all who work in Parliament, including MPs, have confidence that Members of the House are held to the highest standards of behaviour.

“The IEP has, under the leadership of Stephen Irwin, gained a reputation for being fair, rigorous and independent in its handling of cases. I fully intend to carry that on.”

Find out more about the work of the Independent Expert Panel and its reports on cases.