UK Parliament — House of Commons

There shall be a Panel, to be known as the Independent Expert Panel for the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (the "ICGS"), whose members shall be appointed by the House in accordance with Standing Order No. 150C (Appointment of Independent Expert Panel Members).

The Panel shall consist of eight members, of whom a quorum shall be four.

The functions of the Panel shall be-

to determine the appropriate sanction in ICGS cases referred to it by the Parliamentary Commissioner on Standards;

to hear appeals against the decisions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in respect of ICGS cases involving Members of this House;

to hear appeals against a sanction imposed under paragraph (a);

to report from time to time, through the Clerk of the House, on the operation of the ICGS as it relates to Members of this House.

The Panel may elect its own Chair.

The responsibilities of the Chair shall include-

ensuring that the Panel and its sub-panels comply with the provisions of the relevant resolutions and standing orders of this House;

the appointment of sub-panels to consider individual cases;

co-ordinating the work of the Panel with that of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards;

referring any report from a sub-panel which determines a sanction that can only be imposed by the House to the Clerk of the House who shall lay it upon the Table of the House;

informing the parties concerned of the outcome of any other case reported to the Chair by a sub-panel and ensuring compliance as appropriate with its recommendations;

establishing the procedure for an appeal against the findings or determination of a sub-panel in cases referred under (3)(a) above;

reporting to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards any case of non-compliance under sub-paragraph (e) above by a Member of this House;

ensuring publication of an Annual Report on the functioning of the Panel and its sub-panels by referring the report to the Clerk of the House for laying on the Table.

The Panel and any sub-panel shall have power-

to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House;

to order the attendance of any Member before it and to require that specific documents or records in the possession of a Member relating to its inquiries, or to the inquiries of the Commissioner, be laid before it;

to appoint legal advisers, and to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Panel's order of reference.