Recommendation COVID-M2.13: NI Executive Confidentiality Duty
From Module 2: Core Decision-Making, published 20 November 2025.
Recommendation
The Executive Office should amend the Ministerial Code to impose a duty of confidentiality on ministers that prohibits the disclosure of the individual views of ministers expressed during meetings of the Northern Ireland Executive Committee.
In brief (written by this site)
The Northern Ireland Executive stated in March 2026 that the recommendation remained under consideration, noting that The Executive Office would consider proposals to amend the Ministerial Code, though any change would require agreement by the Executive Committee and Assembly (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026). The UK Government (Cabinet Office) stated in March 2026 that the recommendation was not for it to respond to (Cabinet Office response, Mar 2026). The record holds no update since the Northern Ireland Executive's response of March 2026 (Northern Ireland Executive response, Mar 2026).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
This recommendation is not for the UK government to respond to.
Remains under consideration
The Executive recognises that the unauthorised disclosure of information from its discussions during the pandemic was not acceptable, created confusion and undermined public confidence in Executive decision-making.
The Ministerial Code for Northern Ireland sets out the rules and procedures for the exercise of the duties and responsibilities of Ministers and Junior Ministers and their obligations to the Executive Committee.
TEO will consider proposals for amendment of the Ministerial Code. This would require agreement by the Executive Committee and Assembly.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The Northern Ireland Executive's response to the Module 2 report, published on 18 March 2026. It prints its position ("Accepted", "Remains under consideration") on a line above each response, and the row carries that line with the response. Read from the Internet Archive's capture, as the Executive Office does not allow automated fetching. The passage covers Northern Ireland only.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from The Executive Office has been found in the sources searched (last checked 20 October 2026). This is separate from the response above.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - Northern Ireland Executive
Response