The Concept of Ministerial Responsibility - 3.2 Parliament and executive - UK Government Flashcards
individual responsibility
The principle by which ministers are responsible for their personal conduct and for their departments. Ministers are obliged to give accurate information to Parliament and if they knowingly don’t they are expected to resign
The ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a minister and the appropriate consequences of a breach of those standards
i.e. ministers will only remain in office for so long as they retain the confidence of the PM
Modern day take on individual responsibility
Minister cannot be expected to know everything in department and so wouldn’t be expected to resign over a minor mistake - flexible interpretation
Example of individual ministerial responsibility
Charles Clarke - Home Secretary under Blair. April 2006, Home Office couldn’t account for the movements of more than 1000 foreign prisoners (released and without consideration for deportation). Clarke admitted his department had ‘taken its eye off the ball’ but claimed he had a ‘duty to sort this out’ - he did actually offer to resign in private but PM backed him however, after scandal continued Clarke was sacked 10 days later in a larger cabinet reshuffle
Fate of an individual minister depends on (individual ministerial responsibility)
How serious the issue is
Level of criticism in PM and media
Attitude of the PM
Factor that has eroded concept of individual ministerial responsibility
Delegation of government functions to executive agencies. Minister assumes responsibility for overall policy but head of agency exercises operational responsibility
Example of delegation of government functions to executive agencies confusing individual ministerial responsibility concept
1995 Home Secretary sacked director general of Prisons service following criticisms of escape of prisoners
Blurring lines of accountability has led to
civil servants being held responsible for departmental errors (rather than ministers) - civil servants used to be anonymous
Example of civil servants taking the blame
2012 Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin suspended 3 civil servants for mistakes in awarding franchise to companies. 1 civil servant launched successful legal action & was reinstated
Professor Vernon Bogdanor on civil servants & individual ministerial responsibility
Argued ministers are responsible for ensuring that officials have the necessary skills to carry out the work of the department.
Example of minister having to resign to ‘clear the air’
Peter Mandelson (twice!)
Collective ministerial responsibility
Principle by which ministers must support cabinet decisions in public or leave the executive
In private (collective ministerial responsibility)
Ministers free to argue over policy in private but a decision is binding on them all
Example of resignation due to collective ministerial responsibility
Priti Patel - 2017, broke ministerial code, personal misconduct 30 ministers (some form cabinet) resigned from gov't due to Theresa Mays brexit plans
Example of resignation in which personality clashes played a part
IDS Work and Pensions secretary 2016. DS couldn’t accept Osborne’s cuts to disability benefits and there was growing resentment. IDS thought Osborne was too inclined to make cuts for narrow political reasons rather than national economic ones.
Widely believed Osborne considered IDS intellectually limited & IDS wanted to leave EU - may have caused conflict with Cameron & Osborne
