Amendments
to the Ministerial Code and associated code for specialist
advisors clarify the line of responsibility within the Cabinet
Office. However, Downing Street is still reluctant to appoint
an independent ethics adviser or a complaints officer. Interestingly,
the Lords Constitution Committee will be starting an inquiry
in the Autumn into constitutional reform.
The
change in the code came as a result of incidences such as
Peter Mandelson's resignation in January 2001. The code
has established the Prime Minister as maintaining the ultimate
responsibility and judgement in identifying and dealing
with the inappropriate behaviour of ministers.
Committees
within the House of Commons are slowly finding themselves
as monitors of the New Labour policy making. The Public
Administration Committee of the House of Commons is set
to examine the reform of the public services and particularly
the role of the private sector and its relationship with
public sector ethos. The Committee's work will complement
that of the Treasury Committee and the Health Committee's
work on reviewing the financial and cultural aspects of
the public services reform.
