Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics

Propriety and Ethics

The Propriety and Ethics Team advises the Head of the Home Civil Service and Cabinet Secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, ministers and government departments on:

• issues under the Ministerial Code
• Civil Service Ethics and Standards (the Civil Service Code)
• the role of Special Advisers (and issues under the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers)
• setting up Public Bodies and making and managing public appointments

The Cabinet Office also acts as the main liaison point between Government and:

• the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (otherwise known as the 'Parliamentary Ombudsman')
• the Committee on Standards in Public Life

The Cabinet office also produces guidance on:

• handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers
• guidance to officials on drafting answers to parliamentary questions

For a full list of the guidance produced by the team see the publications page.