Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare during the Ministerial Statement on Steel Safeguards on 29 June 2022, what advice she has received on whether the new steel safeguards decision is compliant with the Ministerial Code.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I have been asked to reply on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government.
From time to time, there will be challenging public policy decisions to be made, where there are issues in tension with another. It for Ministers to then decide what is in the public interest. Our democracy works on the basis that elected representatives make those tough decisions in the national interest, and are then accountable to Parliament and the British people. The Ministerial Code includes the (Nolan) Principles on Standards in Public Life, which are a guide to how Ministers should act.
After careful consideration, the Government has collectively concluded this approach is in the public interest, and meets all these Principles – in particular, objectivity, accountability, openness and leadership. The Government has set out its approach openly to Parliament, the press and the public. We also note the cross-party support for the Government’s actions.