Urgent Debates Declined — Housing and Urban Development, Ministry—Resignation of Stephen Barclay

I have received a letter from David Seymour seeking to debate under Standing Order 389 the resignation of Stephen Barclay from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Mr Barclay was an employee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which is a department of the Public Service.

A Government is not answerable to the House for the matters set out in section 33 of the State Sector Act 1988 in respect of individual employees—Speaker’s ruling 160/5. In those matters, which include the appointment, promotion, or cessation of employment of any employee, chief executives have a duty to act independently. In the case of an urgent debate where decision making has taken place independently of Ministers, there can be no ministerial responsibility. The application is, therefore, declined.