My right honourable friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I wish to update the House on progress on the implementation of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) as provided for in the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009.

On Thursday 10 September Mr Speaker announced he had appointed an interim chief executive for the IPSA, and that the recruitment process for the IPSA chair and members was to begin. I warmly welcome the appointment of Andrew McDonald as IPSA’s interim chief executive, and the progress being made in implementing the IPSA.

My department has been working with the House of Commons and other interested parties to ensure that the early establishment of the IPSA remains on track. Any expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Justice on behalf of the IPSA that is properly due to the IPSA will be recovered, subject to Parliament’s approval of the necessary new Estimate for the IPSA, ensuring IPSA’s independence. A new Estimate for IPSA will be presented shortly as part of the Winter Supplementary Estimates for 2009-10.