​KembaraXtra – Legal Terms – Ministerial Responsibility


Ministerial responsibility is a constitutional principle requiring ministers to answer to Parliament for their own actions and for the conduct of their government departments.


Collective ministerial responsibility means that Cabinet members are expected to support government decisions publicly, even if they privately disagree. Individual ministerial responsibility requires ministers to defend departmental decisions and administrative actions.


If serious failures occur within a department, political pressure may force the responsible minister to resign. The principle reinforces accountability between the executive and Parliament within the constitutional system.