The Government has today published the Public Service (Standards and Conflict of Interests) Bill 2026 and the Inquiry Rules 2026, in line with the Chief Minister’s commitment to implement the recommendations in the McGrail Inquiry Report pertaining to the Government within 100 days of his New Year’s message.

The Public Service (Standards and Conflict of Interests) Bill 2026 has been drafted in a private capacity by Daniel Greenberg CB (former UK Parliamentary Counsel, presently serving as Commissioner for Standards in the House of Commons). Extensive private and public consultation has helped shaped this work, including meetings with the Government and Opposition and responses to the Command Paper published on 20th March 2026. The Bill aims to uphold the highest standards of integrity and probity in public life in accordance with Recommendations 1 and 2 of the McGrail Inquiry Report.

The Government has had the benefit of receiving valuable feedback on the proposed legislation, particularly from regulators and public bodies. As a result, several amendments have been made to the Bill, including:

- Section 7 (Public bodies) has been amended to state that bodies established by or having functions under certain Acts shall not be within scope of the legislation (this includes regulatory bodies such as the GFSC, LSRA, GRA and the Gambling Commissioner). However, the Chief Minister may make further provision in relation to such bodies in future with appropriate exclusions, additions and other modifications as appropriate having regard to the nature of these bodies and their functions. This section also includes a power for the Chief Minister to exempt other bodies in future, subject to consultation with the Commissioner of Standards in Public Life (“the Commissioner”) and certain conditions being met.

- Section 8 (Public officials) is amended to include a regulation-making power allowing the Chief Minister to provide that a specified class of person is not to be treated as a public official for the purposes of the Act, subject to consultation with the Commissioner and certain conditions being met.

- Section 10 (Personal interest) is amended to include a regulating-making power allowing the Chief Minister to provide that a specified class of interest is not to be treated as a personal interest for the purposes of the Act. Section 11 (Conflict of interest) is similarly amended in relation to regulations specifying situations or matters than are not to be treated as a conflict of interest for the purposes of the Act.

- Section 26 (Meetings) is amended to include a regulation-making power allowing the Chief Minister to provide that a specified class of meeting is not to be treated as a meeting, or as an official meeting, for the purposes of the Act.

- Section 28 (Record of meetings) is amended to clarify that Rules made by virtue of that section may include general exemptions for meetings which satisfy specified criteria (whether by reference to the persons attending the meeting, the matters to be discussed, or otherwise).

- Section 38 (Whistleblowing) is amended to clarify that regulations made under that section may provide for the person who is to be taken as a whistleblower’s employer, in relation to specified classes of whistleblower or in relation to specified circumstances.

The Chief Minister acknowledges that important subsidiary legislation and guidance will need to be published before the Act is commenced so that public bodies and officials are ready to implement the new requirements , and looks forward to the appointment of the Commissioner, who shall be appointed by the Governor acting in accordance with the advice of the Specified Appointments Commission.

The Inquiry Rules 2026 have been drafted by Sir Peter Caurana and implement recommendation 28 of the McGrail Inquiry Report, which highlighted that the Inquiries Act 2024 included a power in section 33 to issue rules dealing with matters of evidence and procedure and the implementation of such rules would be welcome in respect of any future inquiry. These rules are now published and will apply to all inquiries under that Act going forward.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP said: “I am very pleased we are publishing this Bill today, 100 days from my New Years Message committing to do so. I very much look forward to the passage of the Bill through Parliament before the summer recess.”