On Parliamentary Government in England

PAGE

142

(2) Origin and enforcement of total changes in a Ministry, in con-

formity to the expressed opinions of the House of Commons 143

(3) Origin and development of the Prime Minister's office

Condition of the Cabinet, from 1660 to 1783

Lack of a recognised head to the Ministry during most of this

time

Sir R. Walpole's administration

Prime Ministers under prerogative government

Administration of W. Pitt (Lord Chatham)

Departmental system of Government, from before the Revolu-
tion until 1783

Consequences to the Crown of the consolidation of powers in

the hands of a Prime Minister

Its result on the condition of the Cabinet

Actual position of the Prime Minister

May belong to either House of Parliament, and may hold any
ministerial office.

(4) Present Organisation of the Cabinet

Position of the Cabinet explained

Its particular members officially unknown
Ministers of the Crown, how chosen

Stipulations and conditions, on their appointment
Ministers should be free to advise at all times.
Conditions precedent to their acceptance of office
Number of Ministers usually in the Cabinet
Qualifications for a seat therein

Cabinet Ministers without office

Functionaries who formerly sat in the Cabinet, but who are

no longer eligible for the same

Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench

Archbishop of Canterbury

Commander-in-chief

Subordinate Ministers, their number and tenure

Ministerial offices, with inconsiderable duties, their use and

The political element limited to the governing body

Who are exclusively responsible to Parliament for the whole

Service of Great Britain

Duty of permanent Civil Officers to their political chiefs
Testimonies to the efficiency and good conduct of the Civil

Administrative reform in the public departments

. 217

. 218

. 219

Substitution of responsible Ministers for Boards as governing
bodies.

Salaries and emoluments of Cabinet Ministers.

Necessity for adequate compensation for ministerial service
Official residences

Ministerial pensions.

III. Functions of the Cabinet Council, with its relations to the Crown,

and to the Executive Government

How, when, and where, the Cabinet may be assembled

All its members not invariably or necessarily summoned

Topics usually discussed in the Cabinet

Committees of the Cabinet Council

The Cabinet as a final Court of Appeal upon ministerial or depart-
mental differences

Its deliberations secret and confidential

PAGE

Circulation of Memorandums amongst Cabinet Ministers

Other Ministers invited to attend Cabinet Councils

Position of the Prime Minister towards the Cabinet

He may insist on the adoption of his own policy or else break up

the Ministry

. 240

. 241

Engagements entered into by a Prime Minister accepted by the
House of Commons as binding upon the Government
Communications between the Sovereigns and the Cabinet
Political neutrality of the Sovereign towards all who are not of
the Ministry

Intervention of the Sovereign in political affairs, as a mediator
between contending parties

Constitutional restraint upon the Sovereign upon such occasions

Queen Victoria as a Constitutional Sovereign

The Sovereign never attends a Cabinet Council

But should be duly informed of its decisions upon all important

matters

257

The Prime Minister should submit all such matters for the sanction

of the Sovereign

259

Conclusions of the Cabinet

260

The Sovereign should receive full information on all measures

agreed upon by the Cabinet

The Sovereign should receive, for approval or for information, all

state papers, despatches, &c., of material importance.

Royal Instructions to the Foreign Secretary to ensure that all his

official acts shall be submitted to the Sovereign

Dismissal of Lord Palmerston, in 1851, for acting, as Foreign

Secretary, without previous concert with the Crown, or with the

Prime Minister.

Method of removing an insubordinate Minister from office

Recall of Earl Fitzwilliam from the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland

Every Minister must support the policy agreed upon by the Cabinet,

or resign ..

271

273

Proceedings for the removal of obnoxious or incapable Ministers . 277

Supremacy of the Prime Minister upon such occasions
Resignation of office by individual Ministers.

of the whole Ministry

Resignation of a ministerial office should be accompanied by a re-
tirement from the Cabinet

Unless the Cabinet seat is retained by desire of the Sovereign
Pertinacity of ex-Chancellor Loughborough in continuing to attend
the Cabinet until formally dismissed therefrom.
Formation of a new Administration

CHAPTER IV.

THE MINISTERS OF THE CROWN IN PARLIAMENT.

Parliamentary Government defined

I. Of the presence of Ministers of the Crown in Parliament

. 288

290

Cabinet Ministers must necessarily be Members of Parliament

Ministers not of the Cabinet are ordinarily required to have seats 293

Increasing difficulty of obtaining seats in the House of Commons

for Ministers

Lord Campbell's plan that the House should itself assign seats to

certain persons who had failed to get elected

Principle upon which certain Administrative Offices are made

political and parliamentary

Permanent and non-political officers are excluded from Parliament 297

Proceedings to add to the number of political offices

Every branch of the Public Service should be directly represented

Representation therein of royal and statutory commissions

Departmental representation ought to be in both Houses

Proportion of Cabinet Ministers usually assigned to each House

Present practice explained.

Representation by Under-Secretaries

Limited number of Secretaries and Under-Secretaries empowered

to sit in the House of Commons together.

Reasons for excluding permanent Officers from the House of

Commons.

. 315

316

318

319

Provisions of the statute law regulating the admission or exclusion
of officials from the House
As a rule, no Office-holder is eligible who does not represent a
Department of State or some public trust.

Case of the Standing Counsel to the India Office

What constitutes an acceptance of a disqualifying Office by a

Member of the House of Commons

New writ not to issue on a vacancy until expiration of time limited
for questioning the return; or, if the election be controverted,
until the case is decided