12 Accepted

Ministerial Code's 'Parliament first' principle needs modernisation to reflect changed media environment.

Recommendation
However, the media environment has changed significantly in recent years, and the provisions on the need to make the most important statements of government policy to Parliament first have remained substantively the same since the Code was introduced in 1997. It may well be the case that this section of the Code needs to be modernised to reflect the ‘Parliament first’ principle while also recognising that governments must seek to communicate their policies effectively to the public they serve. (Conclusion, Paragraph 40)
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the committee’s recognition and acknowledges concerns about the Ministerial Code as currently drafted, committing to update its language to reflect the 'Parliament first' principle at the next available opportunity.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government Accepted
The Government welcomes the Committee’s recognition of the changing media environment and the importance of the Government being able to effectively communicate policies to the public they serve. We recognise a balance must be struck between the constitutional role of our Sovereign Parliament in holding the Government to account and allowing it to scrutinise and debate policy, particularly the most important announcements of government policy, and ensuring that the elected government can inform the public of policy changes in the most timely and effective manner. 8. The Government acknowledges the Committee’s concerns about the Code as currently drafted, and will look to update the language.