Parliament to nominate new Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland

25 January 2023

The Scottish Parliament will on Thursday (26 January) be asked to agree to the appointment of Ian Bruce as the new Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.

The Commissioner is responsible for investigating complaints about the conduct of MSPs, local authority councillors, members of public bodies and lobbyists.

The Commissioner also regulates how people are appointed to the boards of public bodies in Scotland.

Mr Bruce has been the acting Commissioner since April 2021. A motion to agree his appointment will be considered by the Scottish Parliament on 26 January.

This position is full-time for a single term of six years. The starting salary is £77,260 rising to £92,658.

Ian Bruce has an honours degree in Mental Philosophy from Aberdeen University where he majored in Ethics.

He has held a number of roles in the public, private and voluntary sector including:

Acting Ethical Standards Commissioner for Scotland.
Chief Executive of Abbeyfield Scotland
Public Appointments Manager, Ethical Standards Commissioner
Voluntary member of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development’s research ethics steering panel.

Text of motion is as follows -

Christine Grahame MSP on behalf of the SPCB: Appointment of the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland under Section 1 of the Scottish Parliamentary Commissions and Commissioners etc Act 2010 –

That the Parliament agrees to the appointment of Ian Bruce as the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.

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Eric MacLeod: 0131 348 5389

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Parliament to nominate new Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland

Biographical information

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