The establishment of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

This note briefly describes the background to the decision to create the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) and a Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations. It then outlines the functions given to IPSA and to the Commissioner for Parliamentary Investigations by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009. It also sets out the steps taken in establishing IPSA, including the appointment of the Speaker’s Committee and the Chair of IPSA, Sir Ian Kennedy.