Communicating With Parliament

Abstract

Abstract Ministers owe to Parliament their constitutional legitimacy, which is manifested in particular through the confidence shown in them by the House of Commons. In order to retain that confidence Ministers must explain to Parliament what they are doing and why they are doing it; and in that process Ministers will hope to persuade their own supporters at least that they are doing what circumstances require. It is through such explanations that Ministers fulfill, in part, their obligation of accountability to the legislature. Accountability is not merely an abstract concept, because it is given life whenever a member of the Government is present in Parliament to promote his departmental policies and to defend his ministerial col leagues. That obligation is drawn to Ministers’ notice in the document Questions of Procedure for Ministers (QPM). Ministers are reminded there2 that they are account able to Parliament for the policies, decisions, and actions of their departments and agencies. They are enjoined to be as open as possible with Parliament (and the public), withholding information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest, which should be decided in accordance with established parliamentary convention, the law, and any relevant Government code of practice. Clearly, that notion of accountability shades into the doctrine of ministerial responsibility to Parliament, which will be considered in the next chapter.