Personal Reflections and Unparliamentary Language—Principles for Intervention

Madam SPEAKER Link to this

Members, on Tuesday Gerry Brownlee raised with me the question of ministerial responsibility following a supplementary question to the Minister of Justice that asked her to confirm whether Ministers had attended a Labour Party workshop and about the actions of the Labour Party. The supplementary question was ruled out of order. The Minister of Justice has no responsibility for the actions of other Ministers outside her own portfolio responsibilities. She cannot be asked to confirm something for which she is not responsible. The Minister of Justice is not responsible for the actions of the Labour Party. Ministers are answerable only for the matters that fall within their portfolio responsibility. There is no responsibility for party matters, and that goes for all parties. That is clear in several Speakers’ rulings.