{{Use British English|date=February 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} The '''Scottish Ministerial Code''' applies to members of the Scottish Government (the First Minister, Cabinet Secretaries, Law Officers and junior Scottish Ministers). The guidance is issued by the First Minister and is a collection of standards around expected behaviours and responsibilities. Since 2008 there has been a mechanism for an independent review of any suspected breaches of the code.
==History== Drafting of the new Scottish Ministerial Code was discussed at the first meeting of the Cabinet on 20 May 1999.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/donald-dewars-cabinet-minutes-unveiled-1516801 |title=Donald Dewar's cabinet minutes unveiled |work=The Scotsman |date=31 December 2014 |accessdate=5 January 2022}}</ref> It was based on a code used in Whitehall.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/jim-gallagher-time-crack-scottish-ministerial-code-2506987 |title=Time to crack the Scottish Ministerial Code |first=Jim |last= Gallagher |authorlink=Jim Gallagher (civil servant) |work=The Scotsman |date=12 January 2013 |accessdate=5 January 2022}}</ref> The first version was issued in August 1999.
The 2008 version introduced changes that specifically prohibited ministers from making misleading statements in the Parliament chamber.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/letters/outside-scrutiny-needed-keep-ministers-best-behaviour-2513155 |title=Outside scrutiny needed to keep ministers on best behaviour |first=Patrick |last=Harvie |authorlink=Patrick Harvie |work=The Scotsman |date=23 June 2008 |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref> In 2015 changes were made to allow Ministers to confirm whether they have received legal advice on a specific topic.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13412794.snp-government-changes-ethics-code-without-input-msps/ |title=SNP Government changes ethics code without input from MSPs |first=Paul |last=Hutcheon |work=The Sunday Herald |date=14 June 2015 |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref>
Ministerial parliamentary aides were originally not able to sit on committees that provided scrutiny of their Minister.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/letters/ian-swanson-scottish-politics-2511105 |title=Scottish Politics |first=Ian |last=Swanson |work=The Scotsman |date=28 February 2002 |accessdate=5 January 2022}}</ref> This positions became known as Parliamentary Liaison Officers (PLOs) and the restriction was removed in 2007. In August 2016<ref name="Herald 8Dec2016">{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14952675.first-minister-nicola-sturgeon-toughen-ministerial-code-holyrood-aides/ |title=First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to toughen Ministerial Code on Holyrood aides |first=Tom |last=Gordon |work=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=8 December 2016 |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref> A requirement was introduced for PLOs to declare this on the first occasion that they took part in parliamentary business within the remit of their Cabinet Secretary.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,scottish-government-removes-ministerial-aides-from-committees-after-conflict-of-interest-pressure_12290.htm |title=Scottish Government removes ministerial aides from committees after 'conflict of interest' pressure |first=Tom |last=Freeman |work=Holyrood |date=31 August 2016 |accessdate=5 January 2022}}</ref> By December this had been tightened up to extend to every occasion.<ref name="Herald 8Dec2016"/>
The February 2018 version contained new sections to guard against harassment, bullying and other such inappropriate behaviour.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/12318/scottish-ministerial-code-updated-clamp-down-harassment |title=Scottish ministerial code updated to clamp down on harassment |first=Caitlin |last=Logan |work=CommonSpace |date=9 February 2018 |accessdate=3 April 2018}}</ref>
==Scrutiny== In 2008 an independent Panel was created to review any concerns, with former Presiding Officers Lord David Steel and George Reid appointed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14527259 |title=Lord Steel quits standards role over Supreme Court row |work=BBC News |date=15 August 2011 |accessdate=4 February 2018}}</ref> Steel and Reid left their positions in mid-2011. Following this Lord Peter Fraser and Dame Elish Angiolini were appointed. David Bell was appointed in October 2012, then in 2013 James Hamilton, a former director of public prosecutions on Ireland.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13090578.ministerial-code-role-ex-prosecutor/ |title=Ministerial code role for ex-prosecutor |work=The Herald |date=2 February 2013 |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref>
==Inquiries under the code== In 2009, First Minister Alex Salmond was cleared of a complaint leveraged by Tavish Scott, relating to exchanges at First Minister's Questions (FMQs) on the future of the Scottish Interfaith Council.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-herald-1130/20090116/281801394841434 |title=Row 'shows strength of new code' |work=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=16 January 2009 |access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/3000/https://www.gov.scot/resource/doc/923/0078701.pdf |title=Ministerial Code Inquiry: Complaint from Tavish Scott MSP Regarding Exchanges at First Minister's Questions |website=gov.scot |date=26 June 2021 |access-date=26 June 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2018-edition/ Scottish Ministerial Code 2018 edition]
Category:Scottish Government Category:1999 establishments in Scotland Category:1999 in British politics Category:Ethical codes Category:Professional ethics