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Individual Ministerial
Responsibility
Describes when ministers are responsible only for their own personal conduct, the
general conduct of their department and the policies they pursue. The convention is not
a rigid one- meaning that it is not a rigid rule but is rather a case by case basis thing.
In what circumstances do ministers resign
There are four main circumstances where ministers seem to resign
Mistakes made within departments. Agriculture minister Sir Thomas Dugdale
resigned in 1954, this was because of mistakes made by civil servants in the
Crichel Down case coming to light (see case study below).
Policy failure. Resignations following policy failure include that of chancellor of
the exchequer James Callaghan after the 1967 devaluation of sterling. In 1982,
Foreign secretary Lord Carrington resigned after Argentina invaded the
Falklands Islands in 1982.
Personal Misconduct. Ministers are expected to follow the seven principles of
the public life, these set out by the 1995 Nolan Committee on standards of
public life and included in the ministerial code.
Individual Ministerial Responsibility 1
Individual Ministerial
Responsibility
Describes when ministers are responsible only for their own personal conduct, the
general conduct of their department and the policies they pursue. The convention is not
a rigid one- meaning that it is not a rigid rule but is rather a case by case basis thing.
In what circumstances do ministers resign
There are four main circumstances where ministers seem to resign
Mistakes made within departments. Agriculture minister Sir Thomas Dugdale
resigned in 1954, this was because of mistakes made by civil servants in the
Crichel Down case coming to light (see case study below).
Policy failure. Resignations following policy failure include that of chancellor of
the exchequer James Callaghan after the 1967 devaluation of sterling. In 1982,
Foreign secretary Lord Carrington resigned after Argentina invaded the
Falklands Islands in 1982.
Personal Misconduct. Ministers are expected to follow the seven principles of
the public life, these set out by the 1995 Nolan Committee on standards of
public life and included in the ministerial code.
Individual Ministerial Responsibility 1
