7.2 - Ministerial Responsibility

Question 1

What is individual ministerial responsibility?

Answer 1

The principle that members of cabinet take ultimate responsibility for what occurs within their department.

Question 2

Why are ministers accountable to Parliament for the actions of their department?

Answer 2

According to individual ministerial responsibility.

Question 3

How should individual ministers justify the actions of their department?

Answer 3

• Parliamentary debate
• Written responses
• Appearing before select committees

Question 4

What happens if there is a serious mistake within a ministers department?

Answer 4

The minister is expected to resign.

Question 5

For what reason should a minister resign, in accordance with individual ministerial responsibility?

Answer 5

• Administrative Failure
• Policy Failure

Question 6

Why do some ministers hold onto ministerial posts despite policy or administrative failure?

Answer 6

They argue that they are not personally responsible for the actions of their department or government policy.

Question 7

Why has it become easier for ministers to distance themselves for departmental failures?

Answer 7

The government has increasingly delegated services to non-civil service agencies.

Question 8

Why are MPs expected to resign if their personal conduct is inappropriate?

Answer 8

It brings the government into disrepute.

‘Ministers of the Crown are expected to maintain high standards of public behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety.’

Question 9

Why has the personal conduct of MPs become more difficult to hide?

Answer 9

The emergence of 24 hour news.

Question 10

What is collective ministerial responsibility?

Answer 10

• All members of the government must publicly support the government and should not disclose the contents of private ministerial discussions.
• If the administration is defeated on a vote of no confidence, the convention also states that all members of the government must resign.

Question 11

What happens if a government loses a vote of no-confidence?

Answer 11

The entire government is expected to resign.

Question 12

Why is the entire government expected to resign after a lost vote of no confidence?

Answer 12

The principle of collective ministerial responsibility.

Question 13

What does collective ministerial responsibility mean in the real world?

Answer 13

• Discussions within cabinet must be kept secret to maintain the integrity of government.
• Members of government must support governmental policies publically, even if they disagree in private.
• If a minister cannot agree with a policy publically, they must resign.

Question 14

What happens in instances of coalition governments in regards to collective ministerial responsibility?

Answer 14

Certain areas are made exempt from collective ministerial responsibility.

Question 15

What have been the biggest instances of collective ministerial responsibility failing?

Answer 15

EEC / EU membership.

Question 16

How did Wilson’s Labour government in 1975 deal with the divisions over EEC membership?

Answer 16

• He allowed members of his government to campaign on different sides, despite the policy of the government being to remain in the EEC.
• This meant that support came from outside of the cabinet (different parties) for both join and leave.

Question 17

How did Cameron’s government of 2016 deal with divisions over EU membership?

Answer 17

He suspended collective ministerial responsibility to allow pro-remain and pro-leave ministers to debate against each other.

Question 18

Why has EU membership damaged collective ministerial responsibility?

Answer 18

Many ministers and backbenchers feel very strongly one way or another so disobey party whips to vote with their conscience.