Section 1 The Commissioner

England and Wales

(1)

There is to be a F1Senedd Commissioner for Standards (in this Measure referred to as “the Commissioner”).

(2)

The Commissioner is to be appointed by the F2Senedd.

(3)

A person is not eligible to be appointed as the Commissioner if that person—

(a)

is F3a Member of the Senedd,

(b)

has been a Member of the Senedd at any time F4...,

F5(ba)

is a member, or has been a member at any time, of—

(i)

the House of Commons,

(ii)

the House of Lords,

(iii)

the Scottish Parliament,

(iv)

the Northern Ireland Assembly,

(bb)

holds or has held at any time the office of police and crime commissioner for a police area in Wales or England,

(bc)

is a member, or has been a member at any time, of the council of a county or county borough in Wales,

(bd)

is a member, or has been a member at any time during the period of 2 years prior to the date when the appointment is to take effect, of the council of a community in Wales,

(c)

is a member of staff of the Senedd,

(d)

has been a member of the staff of the Senedd at any time during the period of 2 years prior to the date when the appointment is to take effect,

(e)

is a member of the staff of the Welsh F6... Government, F7...

(f)

has been a member of the staff of the Welsh F8... Government at any time during the period of 2 years prior to the date when the appointment is to take effect,

F9(g)

is engaged by a Member of the Senedd under a contract of service or a contract for services in connection with the carrying out of the member’s functions,

(h)

has been engaged by a Member of the Senedd, under a contract of service or a contract for services in connection with the carrying out of the member’s functions at any time during the period of 2 years prior to the date when the appointment is to take effect,

(i)

is engaged by a registered political party under a contract of service or a contract for services, or

(j)

has been engaged by a registered political party under a contract of service or a contract for services at any time during the period of 2 years prior to the date when the appointment is to take effect.

(4)

The Commissioner is to be appointed for a term of 6 years.

(5)

A person who has held office as the Commissioner may not be appointed for a further term (whether consecutive or not).

(6)

A person who has been appointed as the Commissioner may at any time—

(a)

resign by notice given to the Senedd, or

(b)

be removed from office by the Senedd.

(7)

A person may not be removed from office as the Commissioner under subsection (6)(b) unless—

(a)

the Senedd so resolves, and

(b)

if the resolution is passed on a vote, the number of votes cast in favour of the resolution is not less than two thirds of the total number of votes cast.

(8)

The appointment of a person as Commissioner ceases if that person—

F10(a)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F11(aa)

becomes a member of—

(i)

the House of Commons,

(ii)

the House of Lords,

(iii)

the Scottish Parliament,

(iv)

the Northern Ireland Assembly, or

(v)

the council of a county, county borough or community in Wales,

(ab)

becomes a police and crime commissioner for a police area in Wales or England,

(b)

is appointed as, or designated to exercise the functions of, the Counsel General under section 49 of the Act, F12...

(c)

is appointed to be a member of the staff of the Senedd or of the Welsh F13... Government,

F14(d)

is engaged by a Member of the Senedd under a contract of service or a contract for services in connection with the carrying out of the member’s functions, or

(e)

is engaged by a registered political party under a contract of service or a contract for services.

F15(9)

In this section, “registered political party means a party registered under Part 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (c. 41).

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Word in s. 1(1) substituted (6.5.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), ss. 7, 42(2)
F2: Word in Measure substituted (6.5.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), Sch. 1 para. 3(12) (with Sch. 1 para. 3(6)(7))
F3: Words in Measure substituted (6.5.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), Sch. 1 para. 3(8) (with Sch. 1 para. 3(6)(7))
F4: Words in s. 1(3)(b) omitted (28.4.2026) by virtue of Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(2)(a), 26(1)
F5: S. 1(3)(ba)-(bd) inserted (28.4.2026) by Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(2)(b), 26(1)
F6: Word in s. 1(3)(e) omitted (6.5.2020) by virtue of Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), s. 42(2), Sch. 1 para. 3(3)(a)
F7: Word in s. 1(3)(e) omitted (28.4.2026) by virtue of Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(2)(c), 26(1)
F8: Word in s. 1(3)(f) omitted (6.5.2020) by virtue of Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), s. 42(2), Sch. 1 para. 3(3)(a)
F9: S. 1(3)(g)-(j) inserted (28.4.2026) by Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(2)(d), 26(1)
F10: S. 1(8)(a) omitted (with effect in accordance with s. 42(1)(c) of the amending Act) by virtue of Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), s. 35(3)
F11: S. 1(8)(aa)(ab) inserted (28.4.2026) by Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(3)(a), 26(1)
F12: Word in s. 1(8)(b) omitted (28.4.2026) by virtue of Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(3)(b), 26(1)
F13: Word in s. 1(8)(c) omitted (6.5.2020) by virtue of Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), s. 42(2), Sch. 1 para. 3(3)(b)
F14: S. 1(8)(d)(e) inserted (28.4.2026) by Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(3)(c), 26(1)
F15: S. 1(9) inserted (28.4.2026) by Senedd Cymru (Member Accountability and Elections) Act 2026 (asc 9), ss. 21(4), 26(1)

Notes on The Senedd Commissioner for Standards

Textual amendments

F1: Word in s. 1 cross-heading substituted (6.5.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), s. 42(2), Sch. 1 para. 3(2)