About the Compliance Officer for IPSA

The Compliance Officer for IPSA is an independent statutory office-holder.

We are responsible for investigating complaints regarding MPs' staffing & business costs paid to MPs by IPSA.

About the Compliance Officer

The post of the Compliance Officer was established by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 (as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010) and our duties and powers are defined in the Act.

The role is appointed for a single term of five years. The position is part-time, working two days per week and is supported by an Investigations Officer who is also part-time and performs the role for three days per week. We report to but are not directed by IPSA's Board.

IPSA's Board provides us with funding to carry out our duties.

We are wholly independent of IPSA on a day-to-day basis, but we maintain a necessarily close working relationship.

We also maintain a regular dialogue with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, the Metropolitan Police and the Serjeant at Arms.

Our remit is defined in statute and is to:

  • conduct an investigation if we have reason to believe an MP may have been paid an amount under the Scheme of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs that should not have been allowed, and

  • at the request of an MP review a decision by IPSA to refuse reimbursement for an expense claim in whole or in part

The Acts governing IPSA and the Compliance Officer for IPSA can be found below:

We conduct investigations and reviews under the Procedures for Investigations by the Compliance Officer for IPSA

These procedures are provided by IPSA to the Compliance Officer.

Details of consultations held by IPSA relating to these procedures can be found on IPSA's website.

We are not responsible for investigating complaints relating to the registration of financial interests held by MPs, nor the investigation of allegations that MPs have breached the rules set out in the House of Commons Code of Conduct.

For more information on complaints of this nature, please contact the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

The current Compliance Officer for IPSA is Matt Walker.

Matt served for 30 years as a police officer, retiring in 2022 as a Detective Superintendent. Matt is an experienced investigator, having been a Senior Investigating Officer and Crime Commander in North Yorkshire Police.

In the field of conduct and standards, Matt is a trained and experienced Appropriate Authority, the delegated decision maker for public complaints and reports of misconduct or criminal allegations.

As Head of Professional Standards, Matt was responsible for conduct and standards, complaints and ethics, alongside anti-corruption, vetting and integrity. Experienced in managing investigations and proceedings for regulated professions, Matt has been the decision-maker at all stages of regulatory compliance, from instigating investigations to taking cases through misconduct hearings, appeals and independent adjudication.

Matt has broad experience in applying an investigative mindset and ECHR principles to ensure proportionate use of state powers.

Matt is an Associate Inspector for His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), specialising in tackling serious organised crime, professional standards, vetting, anti-corruption and integrity.

NameDate
Jonathon Blair-Tidewell2023-24
Tracy Hawkings2018-23
Andy McDonald2017-18
Peter Davis2011-16
Martyn Taylor2011
Luke March2011