Government Compliance and the Ministerial Code Debate

The Bench Report

This episode explores a UK parliamentary debate focused on the rule that requires important government policy announcements to be made in Parliament first when it is sitting. Members of Parliament raised concerns that the government is repeatedly making announcements outside the House, pointing to specific examples like NHS changes and trade deals. The government argues that they take this rule seriously and make many statements in Parliament. They also explain the need to balance this requirement with other parliamentary business and the realities of fast-moving events, stating it's not always possible to announce everything first in the House. The discussion highlights ongoing tensions around government accountability and transparency.

Key Takeaways:

• The Ministerial Code states that the most important government policy announcements should be made in Parliament first when it is in session.
• Critics argue the government shows a consistent pattern of failing to follow this rule, citing various examples.
• The government maintains they take their obligations seriously, make many statements to the House, and work to balance the rule with practical constraints and the need to inform Members effectively.
• Concerns were raised about the lack of sanctions for breaches of the Ministerial Code.
• The independent adviser on the Ministerial Code has increased powers to start inquiries.

Definitions:

• Ministerial Code: A set of rules and standards that govern the behaviour of government Ministers.
• Oral Statement: A formal announcement or update made by a Minister directly to the House of Commons.
• Urgent Question (UQ): A request made by an MP to require a Minister to come to the House to answer an important and urgent issue immediately.

Discussion:

Considering the debate between strictly following the Ministerial Code rule and the practical challenges the government describes, how important do you think it is for major announcements to always be made in Parliament first, and why?

Source: Ministerial Code: Compliance
Volume 767: debated on Wednesday 14 May 20

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No outside chatter: source material only taken from Hansard and the Parliament UK website.

Contains Parliamentary information repurposed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.