Guidance

Here you can access the most popular guidance published by the Propriety and Ethics Team.

Civil Service

Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees (the 'Osmotherley Rules') - guidance to civil servants on giving evidence to Select Committees of Parliament and responding to Select Committee reports

Directory of Civil Service Guidance - Directory of - a compendium of Civil Service guidance
- Volume 1[PDF 322KB]
- Volume 2[PDF 309KB]

Guidance for Crown Servants - Giving Evidence or Information about Suspected Crimes (pdf, 86 kb)

Guidance for Departments and Investigators - Giving Evidence or Information about Suspected Crimes (pdf, 87 kb)

Lobbyists, Guidance for civil servants on contact with

Guidance for civil servants involved in Government Communication activities - Propriety guidance for civil servants, including Press Officers, involved in government communication activities [external website]

a>- Guidance to Departments">Sponsorship of Government Activities

- Guidance to Departments

Correspondence and Parliamentary Questions

Guidance for Departments - handling of Members and Peers correspondence

Guidance to officials on Drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions

Elections

Elections to the Scottish Parliament, The National Assembly for Wales, and Local Elections in England 2003: Guidance on Conduct for Civil Servants (pdf, 72kb)

Elections to the European Parliament, Local Authorities and the Greater London Authority 2004: Guidance for civil servants on their role and conduct (pdf, 68 kb)

General Election Guidance 2005 (pdf, 205kb)

Guidance on Election Guidance on written consultation exercises

Local Elections in England in 2006: Guidance for Civil Servants on Conduct (pdf, 161kb)

Referendums on Establishing Elected Regional Assemblies: Guidance for Civil Servants on their Role and Conduct (pdf, 116 kb)

North East Referendum: Legal restrictions under the political parties, elections and referendums act (pdf, 172kb)

Ministers

List of Ministerial Responsibilities - a list of all UK Government Ministers, Departments and Agencies, specifying the issues for which each individual Minister is responsible

Ministerial Code - A Code of Conduct and Guidance on Procedures for Ministers.

Travel by Ministers - guidance on the use of official cars and on rail and air travel.