Ministerial Accountability
The broader principle that ministers must answer to Parliament for their decisions and actions, through questions, debates, and select committee appearances.
Real World
During the Post Office Horizon scandal, successive ministers were criticised for failing to intervene despite being made aware of wrongful prosecutions, highlighting how accountability mechanisms can fail when ministers claim ignorance of departmental actions.
Exam Focus
Explain the difference between accountability and responsibility — being answerable to Parliament does not automatically mean resigning over failures.
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