Sir Alistair: High standards in public life are 'essential'

He replaces Sir Nigel Wicks whose three year term of office has ended.

Sir Alistair was chair of the Police Complaints Authority until the beginning of April, and will soon become the chair of the British Transport Police Authority.

He has served as a member of the committee on standards in public life since October 2003.

The committee was set up to monitor standards in public life as a response to perceptions of "sleaze" in government and public affairs.

It is currently investigating how standards of conduct are applied in the public sector.

Improvements needed

Sir Alistair said: "It is a great honour to be asked to chair this committee.

"High standards of conduct in public life are central to a democratic society.

Sir Nigel Wicks's three year term of office has ended

"They are essential in helping to drive the behaviours required to deliver the high quality public services that citizens rightly expect to receive.

"I have no doubt that there are improvements to be made across the public sector."

The Police Complaints Authority, where Sir Alistair worked previously, is being taken over by the Independent Police Complaints Commission from this month.

It plans to transform how complaints are dealt with in the police force, and to speed up the existing system.

The new body will be led by Nick Hardwick.