Ministers' Private Offices
The question
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Correspondence from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to Alex Burghart MP, published 5 June 2026, whether Ministers are responsible for the actions of their Ministerial Private Office in relation to the (a) Ministerial Code and (b) remit of the Independent Adviser.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
As per section 1.3 of the Ministerial Code, Ministers are responsible for their own behaviour, and are ultimately accountable to the Prime Minister for their conduct under this Code.
Section 1.6.b of the Ministerial Code states that Ministers have a duty to Parliament to account, and be held to account, for the policies, decisions and actions of their departments and agencies.
Civil Servants, including those in ministerial private offices, are subject to their own Code of Conduct, the Civil Service Code. This sets out the standards of behaviour - integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality - that are expected of civil servants at all times.
The terms of reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards are a matter for the Prime Minister.
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