The Organisation of Government Departments Flashcards
What is each government department headed by?
a secretary of state
Who are below secretaries of state ?
two ranks of junior ministers and a parliamentary private secretary
What are the 2 ranks of junior ministers who are below the secretaries of state?
1) ministers of state
2) parliamentary under-secretaries
What are the twin doctrines which cabinet members have been traditionally expected to work under?
- Collective responsibility
- Individual ministerial responsibility
What does collective responsibility demand?
That members of the cabinet publicly stand by those decisions made collectively within cabinet
What happens to those who are not prepared to fulfil their traditional obligation of collective responsibility?
They are expected to resign their post and argue their case from the backbenchers
Who is an example of a cabinet minister who resigned due to their inability to fulfil their obligation of collective responsibility?
Robin Cook’s resignation over Iraq in 2001
What does Individual ministerial responsibility hold ministers responsible for?
holds ministers responsible for their own personal conduct and the conduct of their departments
What should happen when a minister cannot fulfil their individual ministerial responsibility?
they are required to resign
Who is an example of a cabinet minister who was not able to fulfil their individual ministerial responsibility?
Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington’s resignation in the wake of the Argentinean invasion of the Falklands in 1981
Why did Foreign Secretary Lord Carrington resign?
in the wake of the Argentinean invasion of the Falklands in 1981
What are the 3 elements of collective responsibility?
- Secrecy
- Binding decisions
- Confidence vote
What does secrecy in collective responsibility mean?
This means that sensitive information does not enter the public domain and prevents differences of opinion from being revealed
