such as the role of a Minister or the relationship between Ministers and the Civil Service.
16. I have, where and to the extent possible, made findings of fact in respect of the Complaints. My reasoning is expressed briefly and in summary terms because a full account would involve the release (or the unacceptable risk of release) of confidential information. I was not asked to advise the Prime Minister as to whether the DPM's conduct amounted to a breach of the Ministerial Code and have not done so. The final decisions based on my findings of fact, as to whether there has been any breach of the Ministerial Code, and if so, the appropriate consequences, are matters for the Prime Minister.
(3) The Ministerial Code
17. Ministers of the Crown are appointed as office-holders by His Majesty the King on the advice of the Prime Minister. They are not employees and have no contract. The removal of a minister from office is a matter for the King acting on the advice of his Prime Minister.
18. Since 1945 Prime Ministers have issued written guidance to ministers of the Crown on the standards of conduct expected in the performance of their ministerial duties. This guidance was published for the first time in 1992. In July 1997 it was issued under the title "Ministerial Code: a code of conduct and guidance on procedures for Ministers". This title was shortened to "Ministerial Code" in July 2007.
19. From October 2007 until October 2015, paragraph 1.1 of the Ministerial Code was identified as stating the "General principle" in brief terms, namely:
Ministers of the Crown are expected to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety.
20. The version of the Ministerial Code issued in January 2018 (the "2018 Ministerial Code") included for the first time[1] an articulated statement of the standards expected
- ↑ The July 1997 Ministerial Code had stated, at paragraph 56 (retained in the July 2001 Ministerial Code at paragraph 58 and in the July 2005 Ministerial Code at paragraph 3.1) the somewhat different point that Ministers have a duty (amongst other things) "to observe the obligations of a good employer with regard to terms and conditions of those who serve them". These words were removed in the July 2007 Ministerial Code and not replaced.
4
