Thank you for contacting me about enforcement of the Ministerial Code following accusations that Ministers have misled Parliament and Early Day Motion 383. I do not sign EDMs as I have not found them to be an effective mean of achieving change, but I did want to set out my views on the Ministerial Code.
The Ministerial Code is clear about the importance of Ministers providing accurate and truthful information to Parliament. Ministers who inadvertently mislead Parliament should correct the record at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister.
Responsibility for acting in accordance with the Ministerial Code lies with individual Ministers. When a breach of expected standards of behaviour occurs, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the consequences for breaching those standards.
I understand your argument in favour of requiring Parliament to enforce the Code but I believe it is right that enforcement sits with the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister appoints the Executive and is accountable to the Sovereign for those appointments.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
