Component Two : The PM and the Executive

Question 1

what are the two types of ministerial responsibility?

Answer 1

collective
individual

Question 2

what is collective responsibility?

Answer 2

the notion that government (as a collective whole) is responsible to Parliament for its actions.

if the government was defeated in a vote of no confidence, all of its members would resign

Question 3

what is individual responsibility?

Answer 3

the notion that ministers are responsible to Parliament for the actions of their own departments.

they can be held to account for their department’s actions through PMQs or select committee scrutiny

Question 4

when is ministerial responsibility weakened?

Answer 4

during the coalition

government policy needed to be negotiated between two parties, taking the coalition agreement into account

Question 5

give two examples of individual responsibility?

Answer 5

Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) resigned following claims he had sworn at a police officer outside Downing Street and called him a ‘pleb’, claims which he disputed (2012)

Edwina Currie (Conservative) resigned after incorrectly stating that the majority of UK egg production was infected with salmonella (1988)

Question 6

give two examples of collective responsibility?