Does take out the trash day break ministerial rules?
Today - the last day before summer recess and Parliament returns in October - is 'take out the trash' day (so called after the West Wing episode where the White House picks one day to dispose of all the stories it doesn't want heavy coverage of)
Around 30 ministerial statements are to be dumped in the public domain including announcements of gifts received by ministers and guests entertained at the public expense at Chequers.
Norman Baker has pointed out that this appears to break Paragraph 9.3 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, officially enforceable by the Prime Minister, states that ‘every effort should be made to avoid leaving significant announcements to the last day before a recess’. Baker says:
The Prime Minister has violated his own Ministerial Code of Conduct 10 times in one day. It seems Gordon Brown is as addicted to spin and media manipulation as Tony Blair was
Click below for the full list
1 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Consultation on strategic siting assessment process and siting criteria for new nuclear power stations in the UK.
2 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Regional development agencies’ 2007/08 annual reports and accounts and output results.
3 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: Official receptions hosted by Ministers at the Department for Children, Schools and Families 2007/08.
4 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: Publication of Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group fifth report.
5 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: National Curriculum tests.
6 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: South West England Regional Spatial Strategy--proposed changes.
7 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy--proposed changes.
8 Secretary of State for Defence: Counter-terrorism and resilience.
9 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: British Council Annual Report.
10 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Review of the protective security of hazardous substances.
11 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Justice and Home Affairs Pre-Council Statement.
12 Secretary of State for International Development: Debt service on European Investment Bank loans.
13 Secretary of State for Justice: Chair of the Legal Services Commission.
14 Secretary of State for Justice: Her Majesty’s Courts Service Key Performance Indicators 2008/09.
15 Secretary of State for Justice: Appointment and Reappointment to the Prison Service Pay Review Body.
16 Leader of the House: Topical debates review.
17 Leader of the House: Government response to the Procedure Committee’s Report on e-Petitions First report, 2007/08 (HC 136).
18 Prime Minister: Special advisers.
19 Prime Minister: Ministerial travel 2007/08.
20 Prime Minister: Ministerial gifts 2007/08.
21 Prime Minister: Advisory Committee on Business Appointments Ninth Report (2006 to 2008).
22 Prime Minister: UK visits 2007/08 made by the Prime Minister.
23 Prime Minister: Official hospitality: Chequers.
24 Prime Minister: Official and charity receptions: 10 Downing Street.
25 Prime Minister: Council of Europe and Western European Union.
26 Prime Minister: Annual reports of the Surveillance Commissioner, Interception of Communications Commissioner and Intelligence Services Commissioner.
27 Prime Minister: National Security Strategy.
28 Solicitor General: Review of cases involving Dr David Southall.
29 Secretary of State for Transport: Transport personnel review.
30 Secretary of State for Transport: Cost of ministerial cars for 2007/08.
Well let's hope the media/bloggers give them all a good raking over, even if our elected representatives won't get the chance. (Though I'm sure they'd enjoy a little light holiday reading ...)
Posted by: Richard Weatherill | 22 Jul 2008 13:37:15
How many on the list are 'significant announcements' and how many are purely routine? At a guess, only 1, 8 and 27 look like they really matter on a national level. A lot of the others just note publication of an annual report, or give figures for spending.
Norman Baker is just the sort of twit who will try and turn the revalation of entertaining spending on Chequers into some national scandal; more grounded people realise that any government has to spend what is a very modest amount of the national budget on this sort of thing.
Posted by: David Boothroyd | 22 Jul 2008 14:48:04
Number 2 (Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Regional development agencies’ 2007/08 annual reports and accounts and output results) looks like something we ought to be looking at.
How much do they cost us and what are we getting for our money? Who appoints them and do they represent the people they serve in terms of political balance?
Posted by: Sue Doughty | 22 Jul 2008 17:06:33
Well Sue, if the people of England don't want to have a democratic input into the control of regional government (as they have indicated), they don't have to have it. The regional government bodies will continue to exist, however; England has always had regional government of some sort.
Posted by: David Boothroyd | 22 Jul 2008 20:11:28
Who knows what ghastly secrets, what financial misdemeanours, what incompetence, what nasties are hidden in this lot of guff. There must be a reason why it's all published on the last day - one is advised to dive for cover, keep one's head down and hope that these documents don't ask for more money from us. If only we could short sell them.
Posted by: john problem | 23 Jul 2008 07:47:25
@ David Boothroyd
Lighten my darkness - what is the English regional government?
And what does one mean by 'of some sort'? Is that, for example, having equal powers to those of the Scottish and Welsh assemblies?
Posted by: Chuck Unsworth | 23 Jul 2008 11:51:53
It means, very simply, that when dealing with England, the UK government has always divided it up into regions which are not the same as counties, and performed some aspect of the administration on a regional level. Usually a civil service trick of making the administration of services easier, it has never been subject to any democratic oversight because the English people have deluded themselves into thinking that they don't need and don't have regional government.
More confusingly the regions used have not necessarily been the same at the same time (so one department's regions might be quite different from another).
Posted by: David Boothroyd | 23 Jul 2008 12:38:20
@ David Boothroyd
All organisations are divided into smaller functions to aid administration. To suggest that the Civil Service is unaccountable just because there aren't elected representatives probing their activities at every level, is nonsense! Civil Servants have many times' the experience of elected representatives - leave them to do their job at a local level, instal proper internal systems, and review their performance from the top.
Labour's regional government proposals were never about saving money - if they were, why did Holyrood cost £100m to build? Not to mention the cost of MSP salaries over and above those of MP's, councillors, MEP's and quango members...
...and that's before you pay the civil servants who actually administer (run?) the country!
Posted by: Carlos | 25 Jul 2008 15:11:48
David
With respect, your comments on this are pretty naive.
Sue Doughty and others are right that regional development agencies' anual reports require detailed inspection by the press, not beause the media are following some sort of Tory agenda to get rid of them, but because they dispense hundreds of millions of pounds of public money each year.
It is however a time-consuming business for political reporters to plough through reports such as these in requisite depth and detail. You would therefore ideally want an otherwise slow news day to do that, rather than having to deal with 29 other government announcements to deal with on the same day.
For the national papers, this rarely presents a problem. They have lobby teams of five or six and stories can be shared out accordingly. Additionally there will be specialist reporters back in the office who will want to get involved in covering the stories in their area - eg the defence correspondent on counter-terrorism and resilience, the social affairs correspondent on teenage pregnancy.
The real problems are encountered by regional papers with lobby teams of one, and no specialists back in the office. If I was still Political Editor of the Newcastle Journal, I would have had to at the very least checked out all of the following for potential regional angles:
1. Consultation on strategic siting assessment process and siting criteria for new nuclear power stations in the UK.
2 Regional development agencies’ 2007/08 annual reports and accounts and output results.
4 Publication of Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group fifth report.
19 Ministerial travel 2007/08.
20 Ministerial gifts 2007/08.
23 Official hospitality: Chequers.
30 Cost of ministerial cars for 2007/08
Posted by: Paul Linford | 28 Jul 2008 13:11:43
Sam has not pointed out the 36 statements made on Thursday 17 July:
1 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Publication of the 28th and final Regulatory Impact Assessment Command Paper.
2 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: National Statistics Annual Report for 2007-08.
3 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: 2008-09 Tax and Benefit Reference Manual.
4 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Consolidated statement on the use of EU funds in the UK.
5 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Free cash machines in low-income areas.
6 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Issuer liability.
7 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: HM Revenue and Customs office reorganisation.
8 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: ECOFIN, 8th July 2008.
9 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Budget ECOFIN): 17th July 2008.
10 Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer: Equitable Life.
11 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Planning Inspectorate Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
12 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Proposed changes to South East of England’s Regional Spatial Strategy.
13 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Publication of North West England Regional Spatial Strategy.
14 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Preventing violent extremism: Next steps for communities.
15 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Consultation on a new regeneration strategy for England.
16 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Free swimming.
17 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Annual review of controls on imports of animal products.
18 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Changes of use of personal data held on the GB Poultry Register in England.
19 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Lisbon Treaty: Ratification.
20 Secretary of State for Health: Official receptions hosted by Ministers.
21 Secretary of State for Health: Pharmacy in England.
22 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Justice and Home Affairs Informal Council.
23 Secretary of State for Justice: HM Chief Inspector of Probation: Appointment extension.
24 Secretary of State for Justice: Legal Services Board members.
25 Secretary of State for Justice: Publication of the National Offender Management Service Agency framework document.
26 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Receptions hosted by Cabinet Office Ministers.
27 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Greening Government ICT.
28 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster: Limiting pre-release access to statistics: The Government’s response to the consultation exercise.
29 Leader of the House: Government response to the Modernisation Committee Report into regional accountability (HC282).
30 Secretary of State for Transport: Correction to Written Answers to Parliamentary Questions 175768, 179889 and 197148.
31 Secretary of State for Transport: Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
32 Secretary of State for Transport: Local Transport Bill: Draft Guidance and Regulations.
33 Secretary of State for Transport: Strategic Review of the Civil Aviation Authority.
34 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Annual Reports and Accounts of Departmental agencies for 2007-08.
35 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers 10th and 11th July, Chantilly, France.
36 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Publication of the Social Fund Commissioner’s Annual Report 2007-08.
and the 32 made on Monday 21 July:
1 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Complaint to the UK National Contact Point on Das Air’s behaviour in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
2 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: 2007 Review of strategic export controls–the Government’s further response.
3 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: Application for Contingencies Fund advance.
4 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: School inspection.
5 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Audit Commission’s new code of data matching practice.
6 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Correction: Housing and Planning Delivery Grant—provisional allocations.
7 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Sale of the Tote.
8 Secretary of State for Defence: Annual report on military low flying.
9 Secretary of State for Defence: Baha Mousa Public Inquiry.
10 Secretary of State for Defence: MoD Annual Report and Accounts.
11 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Government response to a consultation on implementation of the Nitrates Directive in England.
12 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Progress report on the action taken by Government to encourage the conservation of water.
13 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Rural Payments Agency Annual Report and Accounts.
14 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Uplands entry level stewardship.
15 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: French Presidency of the European Union: Agenda for the General Affairs and External Relations Council, 22nd July 2008.
16 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Animal procedures.
17 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Independent Police Complaints Commission 2007-08.
18 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Annual Report of the Security Industry Authority 2007-08.
19 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Criminal Records Bureau Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
20 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Publication of the National Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 2007.
21 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Publication of the 1st Annual Report of the Ethics Group: The National DNA Database.
22 Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills: LSC Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
23 Secretary of State for Justice: Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007; Progress towards implementing the custody provisions.
24 Secretary of State for Justice: Independent review of the Forum for Preventing Deaths in Custody.
25 Secretary of State for Justice: National Offender Management Service: Publication of Annual Reports for 2007-08.
26 Secretary of State for Justice: Publication of the President of Appeal Tribunals’ report on the standards of decision-making by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 2007-08.
27 Secretary of State for Justice: Publication of the Office of the Public Guardian Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
28 Secretary of State for Justice: Response to consultation: Case track limits and the claims process for personal injury claims.
29 Secretary of State for Justice: Review of the law on homicide.
30 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Chief Electoral Officer’s Annual Report 2007-08.
31 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Youth Justice Agency Framework Document 2008.
32 Minister for Women and Equality: Equality Bill: Government response to the consultation exercise.
1 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Complaint to the UK National Contact Point on Das Air’s behaviour in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
2 Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: 2007 Review of strategic export controls–the Government’s further response.
3 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: Application for Contingencies Fund advance.
4 Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: School inspection.
5 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Audit Commission’s new code of data matching practice.
6 Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: Correction: Housing and Planning Delivery Grant—provisional allocations.
7 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Sale of the Tote.
8 Secretary of State for Defence: Annual report on military low flying.
9 Secretary of State for Defence: Baha Mousa Public Inquiry.
10 Secretary of State for Defence: MoD Annual Report and Accounts.
11 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Government response to a consultation on implementation of the Nitrates Directive in England.
12 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Progress report on the action taken by Government to encourage the conservation of water.
13 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Rural Payments Agency Annual Report and Accounts.
14 Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Uplands entry level stewardship.
15 Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: French Presidency of the European Union: Agenda for the General Affairs and External Relations Council, 22nd July 2008.
16 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Animal procedures.
17 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Annual Report and Statement of Accounts of the Independent Police Complaints Commission 2007-08.
18 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Annual Report of the Security Industry Authority 2007-08.
19 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Criminal Records Bureau Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
20 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Publication of the National Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 2007.
21 Secretary of State for the Home Department: Publication of the 1st Annual Report of the Ethics Group: The National DNA Database.
22 Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills: LSC Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
23 Secretary of State for Justice: Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007; Progress towards implementing the custody provisions.
24 Secretary of State for Justice: Independent review of the Forum for Preventing Deaths in Custody.
25 Secretary of State for Justice: National Offender Management Service: Publication of Annual Reports for 2007-08.
26 Secretary of State for Justice: Publication of the President of Appeal Tribunals’ report on the standards of decision-making by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 2007-08.
27 Secretary of State for Justice: Publication of the Office of the Public Guardian Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.
28 Secretary of State for Justice: Response to consultation: Case track limits and the claims process for personal injury claims.
29 Secretary of State for Justice: Review of the law on homicide.
30 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Chief Electoral Officer’s Annual Report 2007-08.
31 Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Youth Justice Agency Framework Document 2008.
32 Minister for Women and Equality: Equality Bill: Government response to the consultation exercise.
Posted by: Austin Lane | 28 Jul 2008 14:26:58