Thank you for contacting me about the Ministerial Code.

The Ministerial Code is clear about the importance of ministers providing accurate and truthful information to Parliament. Ministers who inadvertently mislead Parliament should correct the record at the earliest opportunity, and ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament are expected to offer their resignation. When a breach of these expected standards occurs, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the consequences, as under our constitution, he is responsible for appointing members of the executive. While I understand why many people would like Parliament to have powers to enforce the Ministerial Code,

I believe these proposals would risk destabilising the separation of powers in our constitution, by effectively transferring at least some control over ministerial appointments away from the Prime Minister and towards the legislature.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.