4th Report - Ministerial Statements and the Ministerial Code
Select Committee
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
HC 1036
9 January 2026
Government response
1st Special Report - Ministerial Statements and the Ministerial Code: Government Response · published 4 Jun 2026
Recommendations & Conclusions
9 results
8
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Defining 'most important' policy announcements remains subjective for ministers.
Recommendation
The term ‘most important’ is inevitably subjective. However, it is the responsibility of ministers individually and the Government collectively to be aware of the expectations of Parliament and maintain the confidence of the House. We do not believe that it …
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Government Response Summary
The government fully recognises the House's scrutiny role and outlines current considerations for oral statements, stating the Leader of the House will continue working with ministers to ensure timely updates. However, it does not commit to specifically adjusting thresholds for importance based on the mood of the House.
9
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Making major statements to media before Parliament constitutes a breach of principle.
Conclusion
In the context of the Code as currently drafted, making the most important statements in the first instance to Parliament means doing so before they are made to the media and not at the first available opportunity thereafter. Apart from …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concerns and the need to balance parliamentary accountability with effective public communication in a changing media environment, stating it will look to update the language of the Ministerial Code.
11
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Government must balance legitimate policy 'trailing' with substantive media leaks to avoid breaches.
Conclusion
Careful regard needs to be given by government to the balance between a legitimate trailing of a statement and the deliberate or inadvertent provision of information to the media that is so substantive that it could be considered a breach …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concerns, recognizing the need to balance parliamentary accountability with effective public communication in a changing media environment, and states it will look to update the language of the Ministerial Code.
14
Conclusion
Acknowledged
No exhaustive list exists for exceptions to major policy announcement principles.
Conclusion
It is not possible to have an exhaustive list of all the circumstances which could be considered an exception to the normal principles relating to the making of major policy announcements. We accept that there are various such circumstances, including …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts this conclusion, recognizing that it is not always possible to notify the House of major announcements first and committing to making details available at the earliest appropriate opportunity when exceptions arise.
16
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Speaker and Committee share longstanding concerns over government policy announcements to Parliament.
Conclusion
The Speaker has represented the dissatisfaction of the House, through statements made in the Chamber and when setting out the concerns of Members across the House when he wrote to us in May 2025. We share his concerns and note …
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Government Response Summary
The government fully recognises the importance of House scrutiny and states the Leader of the House will continue to work with Ministers to ensure timely and appropriate updates. They also list various existing ways the government keeps the House informed.
19
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Early publication of significant documents enhances parliamentary scrutiny and 'Parliament first' adherence
Conclusion
We believe that scrutiny is improved when Members have greater access to relevant information, and we recognise that publication of significant documents in advance of statements could meet the ‘Parliament first’ principle while allowing Members time to put together more …
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Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the committee's recognition that timely document publication and written statements improve scrutiny, but highlights challenges with current procedural requirements for written ministerial statements. It seeks the views of the House and Procedure Committee on modernizing notice arrangements for written statements.
21
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Procedural options available to manage sitting times, but long-term changes are beyond inquiry
Conclusion
The House has regularly considered issues relating to sitting times and the prioritisation of business. The Government can propose, and the House can consider, procedural options to mitigate these issues in the short term, for example, notwithstanding Standing Orders or …
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Government Response Summary
The government notes the conclusion and states it already balances oral statements with other business, avoiding overuse of ad hoc motions to maintain certainty of sitting times.
28
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Urgent questions remain a vital and effective mechanism for holding ministers to account.
Conclusion
Urgent questions are the most effective and timely remedy currently available to Members to hold ministers to account in the absence of an oral statement. The Speaker holds important powers to protect the interests of 38 the House and, despite …
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Government Response Summary
The government fully recognises the House's opportunity to scrutinize decisions and acknowledges the Speaker's role in granting Urgent Questions as a vital mechanism for accountability.
29
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Adhering to Ministerial Code principles would reduce need for urgent parliamentary questions.
Conclusion
By adhering to the general principle in the Ministerial Code and making the most important announcements of government policy in the first instance in Parliament, the need for Members to seek redress through the mechanism of the urgent question will …
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Government Response Summary
The government recognises the importance of House scrutiny and states the Leader of the House will continue to work with Ministers to ensure timely and appropriate updates. They also list various existing mechanisms for keeping the House informed.