Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Special Advisers: Code of Conduct

Thursday 11 June 2020 · 1 question

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Alan Brown questioned the Minister about sanctions for a potential breach of the code of conduct by Dominic Cummings.
  • The Minister replied that she has already addressed similar questions and that the appointing Minister is responsible for such matters.
  • The Minister also noted that Durham Constabulary and the Cabinet Secretary have indicated there is no further need to investigate.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alan Brown SNP Ayr South
Standards & Ethics
Context

Public health experts expressed concerns about Dominic Cummings' actions undermining public trust in lockdown rules, and questioning whether there will be an investigation into potential breaches of the code of conduct.

Question

The Minister mentioned paragraph 14 of the code of conduct for special advisers stating that advisers must not take part in political controversy. The Prime Minister has defended Dominic Cummings's actions despite public concerns. What would be adequate sanctions for Cummings if found to have breached the code?

Answer from Chloe Smith (Minister of State for Cabinet Office)

The Minister stated that she has already answered similar questions regarding this matter, emphasizing that the responsibility lies with the appointing Minister in such cases. She also noted that Durham Constabulary and the Cabinet Secretary have indicated there is nothing further to investigate.

Answered

Not addressed: Specific sanctions for Cummings were not addressed.

How: Redirected Focus To Other Political Matters

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