The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA)

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA)is a public body in the United Kingdom created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, largely as a response to the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009. It establishes and monitors the expenses scheme for Members of the House of Commons, and is responsible for paying their salaries and expenses. Following revisions to the Parliamentary Standards Act in April 2010 (via the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010), IPSA was also given responsibility for setting the level of MPs' salaries.

Role

IPSA is responsible for: setting the level of and paying MPs’ annual salaries; paying the salaries of MPs' staff; drawing up, reviewing, and administering an MPs’ allowances scheme; providing MPs with publicly available information relating to taxation issues; and determining the procedures for investigations and complaints relating to MPs.

Upon its formation IPSA took over some of the functions previously undertaken by the House of Commons Fees Office, as well as some of the staff who previously carried out these functions.