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Parliamentary Standards Act 2009

It struck us in the evidence sessions that even the chairman of IPSA acknowledged that he did not quite have the mandate to justify supporting MPs in the way that he wanted, because the legislation says that he must ““have regard to”” the principle of supporting MPs cost-effectively and efficiently, rather than it being a primary duty. It is clear from all the observations and evidence that there can be no other primary duty for such a body other than to support MPs cost-effectively and efficiently in doing the duties that their constituents expect.