Committee publication · Correspondence · 12 June 2025
Letter from the Speaker of the House of Commons on Paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code, dated 23.5.25
From: Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Summary
The Speaker writes to the PACAC chair inviting the committee to investigate whether the Ministerial Code adequately requires major policy announcements to be made to Parliament first rather than to the media. Recent breaches—including the immigration white paper, UK-US trade deal, and prison sentencing changes—prompted an Urgent Question on 14 May. The Speaker seeks clarity on when written versus oral ministerial statements are appropriate.
Key findings
- Multiple recent major policy announcements have been made to media before Parliament, breaching paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code, including the immigration white paper, UK-US trade deal, and changes to prison sentence limits for recalled offenders.
- Paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code states that when Parliament is in session, major policy announcements should be made to Parliament first, but compliance appears insufficient.
- An Urgent Question was granted on 14 May 2025 to allow Members to hold the Government to account on this issue.
- The Speaker invites PACAC to clarify when written ministerial statements versus oral statements are required, to enable proper Parliamentary scrutiny rather than mere information-sharing.
- The Speaker notes the Code is a government document where Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister rather than Parliament for conduct under it.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP (Speaker), Simon Hoare MP (PACAC Chair), Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Members across the House of Commons, Government Ministers
Notable line
“"When Parliament is in session, the most important announcements of government policy should be made in the first instance in Parliament".”
Key Quotes
“There have been several recent examples of major policy announcements being made directly to the media rather than to Parliament first.”
“When Parliament is in session, the most important announcements of government policy should be made in the first instance in Parliament”
“… would be particularly helpful if the committee would consider when a written ministerial statement might be appropriate and when an oral Speaker's House House of Commons London SWlA OAA The Speaker statement is required …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗