Parliamentary Standards Bill

Let me explain that this relates to the definition clause and particularly to the tenure period for members of IPSA and the commissioner. It was agreed without argument across the Chamber that the commissioner or members of the authority could be removed only on the basis of an address from both Houses of Parliament, but there was a restriction on how that address could get on to the Floor of either House: it had to be moved either by the Leader of the House of Commons or by the Leader of the House of Lords. We agreed to take that out. That being the case, and with no substantive reference to the Leader of the House of Lords anywhere else in the Bill, the definition could be dropped as completely redundant. That is the reason for the change.