13th Report - The pre-emption of Parliament

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government "accepts the Committee's advice in principle" on pre-emption, with some recommendations taken up, some met by existing arrangements, and the validity of the Ram principle maintained.

• On information to Parliament, the Government agrees ministers should always make it clear when pre-emption is intended, covering it orally at Second Reading "where possible" and otherwise by Written Ministerial Statement.
• The Government will publish an annual summary at the end of each session of when pre-emption has taken place.
• On ministerial directions, the Government agrees the information should be public but "sees no need for an additional publication", as it is already in departmental reports and accounts.
• The Government accepts that the Ram opinion is "necessarily incomplete" and cannot have the force of law, but believes its principle "does remain valid". It will no longer use the term convention, and will revise annex 2.4 of Managing Public Money with a note in the Cabinet Manual.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error