Ministerial Code Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Ministerial Code

Baroness Noakes Excerpts
Tuesday 24th November 2020

(3 years, 5 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord True Portrait Lord True (Con)
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My Lords, I am grateful for the right reverend Prelate’s first comment. It is not the case that this Government do not value civil servants. Indeed, the joint letter sent out by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary yesterday reaffirmed their admiration for the work of civil servants.

Baroness Noakes Portrait Baroness Noakes (Con)
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My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that it is a strength of the Ministerial Code is that it does not require the removal from office of a Minister who breaches it but emphasises that the Prime Minister is the final arbiter on whether a breach has occurred and, if so, what the consequences are, which then allows him to make considered judgments in cases that are not black and white?

Lord True Portrait Lord True (Con)
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Yes, my Lords, these things are a matter of judgment. No one has referred to the fact that my right honourable friend the Home Secretary has made a very strong apology for her actions.