Responsible Government Flashcards
Who comprises the central executive?
PM and cabinet
What are the PM’s powers by convention?
Advising king to appoint/remove ministers
size and composition of cabinet
General policy direction of government
Subject matter/composition of cabinet committees
When cabinet meets
Agenda for cabinet discussion
What role is the PM also?
Minister for civil service
First Lord of the treasury
What is the role of the cabinet office?
Support pm and cabinet
Ensure civil service helps government attain policy goals
What is the cabinet office responsible for?
Political and constitutional reform
Civil service
Supporting national security council/joint intelligence organisation
Independent parliamentary standards authority
Who mostly conducts privy council day to day business?
Government ministers
What do privy council members swear?
Oath of allegiance
What was ruled in miller?
Proroguing Parliament was unlawful
Under what powers does the cabinet exist?
Convention
What is the cobra committee?
Mechanism for government to agree response to major emergencies
What is collective ministerial responsibility?
Government ministers are bound by the collective decisions of cabinet
What are the three components of collective ministerial responsibility?
Confidentiality
Unanimity
Confidence
What is the doctrine of individual ministerial responsibility?
Ministers accept responsibility and if necessary resign for errors and failures of their department
Why is there uncertainty around the doctrine of individual ministerial responsibility?
Short term realities of the political world
Assessing degree of fault in a time of big government
What are the two ministerial responsibility situations as laid out by maxwell fyfe?
Where minister had personal involvement or knowledge of the issue
Where minister played no role and given the size of government couldn’t have been expected to
When did maxwell fyfe believe a minister need not resign?
Where explicit order made by a minister
When civil servant acts in accordance with policy laid down by the minister
When official makes mistake/caused delay but not on an important issue of policy
Where civil servant taken action which minister disapproved and has no prior knowledge of, and the conduct is reprehensible
What has become more important for keeping ministers accountable?
Keeping Parliament informed about departmental problems and errors
What does the ministerial code say about ministers informing parliament?
Ministers have a duty to account to parliament and be held to account for policies/decisions/actions of their department and agencies
Give accurate and truthful information to parliament, correcting error, misleading parliament = expected to resign
What are the seven principles of public life in the ministerial code?
Selflessness
Integrity
Objectivity
Accountability
Openness
Honesty
Leadership
Why is the ministerial code soft law?
Unenforceable set of rules
Investigation of breach at discretion of PM
What areas does the ministerial code cover?
Conduct of ministers
Collective responsibility
Proper and transparent engagement with parliament
Conflict of interest
Proper use of government resources
Who does the ministerial code apply to?
Government ministers (full)
Parliamentary private secretaries (part)
Special advisers (part)
Who other than the PM can initiate investigation into breach of ministerial code?
Independent Adviser on Ministers interests
What are the constitutional principles underpinning the civil service?
Permanence
Political neutrality
Anonymity
What is the role hierarchy in government departments?
Secretary of State
Permanent secretaries
Special advisers
Senior responsible owners
Civil servants
What is an accounting officer?
Responsible for expenditure
Evaluating mechanisms for delivering policy objectives
Value for money
Give evidence to parliamentary select committees
What are senior responsible owners?
Personally responsible for delivery of major government projects
Give evidence to parliamentary select committees
How may civil servants be dismissed?
For deceit or incompetence
Who are civil servants accountable to?
Ministers
What are the core values of the civil service code?
Integrity
Honesty
Objectivity
Impartiality
Can civil servants be dismissed by ministers?
Not formally
