Tynwald Standards and Privileges Committee
The Standards and Privileges Committee oversees Members' conduct, handles complaints about behaviour or privilege, and maintains the Register of Members’ Interests.
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Committee Members
Vacant (eo)
Committee Chair
The Committee reserves the right to publish any evidence sent to it in the absence of any agreement that the evidence will be confidential.
Contact the Committee
For enquiries or to submit written evidence please contact:
Dr Jonathan King
Clerk to the Committee
Contact details for a Committee of Tynwald
Clerk to the Committee
Legislative Buildings
Finch Road
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM1 3PW
Tel: 01624 685500
Email: committees@tynwald.org.im
Committee Remit
4.1 There shall be a Standing Committee of the Court on Standards and Privileges.
4.2 The Committee shall be composed of:
(i) the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Keys, who shall serve as Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee respectively;
(ii) the remaining members of the Management and Members’ Standards Committee of the House of Keys;
(iii) two Members of the Council elected by that Branch; and
(iv) two lay members, appointed in accordance with paragraph 4.2AA and exercising duties in accordance with paragraph 4.2AB.4.2AA The lay members shall be appointed by Tynwald on the nomination of the Appointments Commission established under the Tribunals Act 2006. If the Appointments Commission is unable to act, then (subject to any contrary provision of any enactment) lay members may be nominated by a Selection Committee established by resolution of Tynwald.
4.2AB The lay members shall have the same powers and duties as the othermembers of the Committee for the purposes of the consideration of the matters referred to in paragraph 4.3(iii) and shall count towards the quorum of the Committee for those purposes. However, the lay members may not participate in any other business of the Committee.
4.2A Subject to paragraph 4.2AB but notwithstanding any other provisions in Standing Orders, the quorum of the Committee shall be three.
4.3 The Committee shall consider and may report on –
(i) questions affecting the privileges of Tynwald referred to the Committee by the President under Standing Order 10.17;
(ii) specific matters relating to privileges referred to it by the Court or by a Member, including specific complaints in relation to (a) alleged contempts of Tynwald or a Branch and (b) alleged abuses of the privileges of Tynwald or a Branch;
(iii) any other matter relating to the conduct of a Member referred to it by the Court, or by a Member, or by any other person, including specific complaints in relation to alleged breaches of the Members’ Code of Conduct.4.3A […]
4.4 No matter shall be considered under paragraph 3(ii) above which concerns words used in proceedings in Tynwald or a Branch, or the meaning or implication of such words unless –
(i) immediate objection to them has been taken by the Member about whom the words have been used, and
(ii) the President, after receiving a request from that Member, has decided in all the circumstances that it is appropriate exceptionally to bring the matter to the Committee’s attention, or
(iii) the President, after receiving a request from that Member who was absent from the Chamber when the words in question were used and who could not have taken immediate objection to them, has decided in all the circumstances that it is appropriate exceptionally to bring the matter to the Committee’s attention.4.5 The Committee shall also consider and report on such standards and such privileges of the Court and of Members as have been, or in the future should be, recognised as necessary and desirable for the proper and effective
discharge of the duties of the Court of Tynwald and its Members.4.6 The Registrar of Members’ Interests shall maintain a Register, to be known as the Register of Members’ Interests.
4.7 The Rules for the operation of the Register which are annexed to these Standing Orders may be amended by Tynwald on a recommendation of the Committee.
4.8 The Clerk of Tynwald shall be the Registrar of Members’ Interests and shall be responsible to the Committee for maintaining the Register and for giving effect to the rules referred to in paragraph (7) above.
4.9 (i) The Committee may issue guidance on how it intends to operate. The Committee must cause the guidance to be laid before the Court as soon as practicable after it is made. The Court may, at the sitting at which it was laid or the next subsequent sitting, resolve that the guidance is to be amended or annulled. If no such resolution is made at either of those sittings, the guidance is to be treated as having been approved by Tynwald.
Standing Orders of Tynwald (Revised Edition January 2026) - Schedule: The Standing Committees of Tynwald, s.4
(ii) For the purposes of subparagraph (i), “guidance” includes any amendment to previously approved guidance.