Former senior police officer Mark McEwan is set to be appointed as the new Assembly Commissioner for Standards.
McEwan served in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and, most recently, was an Assistant Chief Constable before he retired in 2024. He was also in the Metropolitan Police for three years in their transformation team.
He has been nominated by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission – the corporate body of the Assembly. His appointment relies on approval by the Assembly, which has been scheduled for Monday, 8 September – when the Assembly returns from summer recess.
The role of the Standards Commissioner is to carry out thorough, fair and transparent investigations into complaints about the behaviour of Ministers and MLAs in relation to their respective codes of conduct and to encourage and promote high ethical standards in public life.
He will replace Melissa McCullough, who served in the role for five years.
The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Chairperson of the Assembly Commission, Edwin Poots MLA, said, “I am pleased to confirm that the Assembly Commission has identified Mark McEwan to be nominated to the Assembly for appointment as the new Assembly Commissioner for Standards.
“The Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards is an independent officer responsible for investigating complaints that a breach of the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Code of Conduct or Ministerial Code of Conduct has occurred, and to report the outcome of those investigations to the Assembly.
“The Commissioner operates independently from any political influence, and the role is vital to ensuring high standards of conduct and public confidence in their representatives and the Assembly.
“Mr McEwan comes with a wealth of experience in conducting investigations and upholding professional standards, which will serve him well as he undertakes this important work”.
