Cabinet Office accepts recommendations to strengthen Parliament’s role in major announcements
The Government has agreed to amend the Ministerial Code following recommendations made by Parliament’s Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) concerning how ministers announce major policy decisions.
The move follows a PACAC inquiry examining whether ministers were complying with long-standing constitutional expectations that significant government announcements should be made to Parliament before being released elsewhere.
In January 2026, the committee published a report expressing concern about what it described as repeated failures to follow the existing requirements of the Ministerial Code. MPs argued that the Government should either ensure full compliance with the current rules or revise the code to provide greater clarity.
The committee concluded that the existing wording did not adequately reflect the constitutional relationship between ministers and Parliament. It is recommended that the core principle governing major policy announcements be rewritten to remove uncertainty over ministerial responsibilities.
In its formal response published on 4 June 2026, the Cabinet Office accepted the committee’s concerns and agreed to amend the relevant section of the Ministerial Code. The Government said the revised wording would remove ambiguity regarding ministers’ obligations when making significant public announcements and reinforce expectations around parliamentary accountability.
The response also indicated agreement with the committee’s broader position that Parliament should receive details of important government decisions at the earliest possible opportunity. The issue has attracted increasing scrutiny in recent years as MPs have repeatedly criticised governments of different political parties for announcing policies through media briefings, interviews and press releases before informing Parliament.
PACAC argued that such practices risk undermining parliamentary scrutiny and weakening the ability of elected representatives to question ministers directly about government decisions. Commenting on the Government’s response, PACAC Chair Simon Hoare welcomed the decision to revise the code.
He said the current position regarding ministerial announcements had become “untenable” and described the Government’s willingness to amend the code as a positive step towards ensuring it remains fit for purpose. Hoare also stressed that any reforms must preserve Parliament’s central role in holding ministers accountable and indicated that the committee would continue monitoring implementation of the changes.
The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of government ministers and plays an important role in the operation of the UK’s constitutional framework. The agreed amendments are expected to provide clearer guidance on how ministers should engage with Parliament when announcing major policy initiatives and government decisions.