Themisleading of parliament is the knowing presentation of false information toparliament, a very serious charge inWestminster system parliamentary assemblies.[1][2] By convention,government ministers who are found to have misled parliament will generally lose their ministerial portfolio. For example, theScottish Ministerial Code requires ministers to resign if they mislead theScottish Parliament.[3] For witnesses giving testimony to anAustralian parliamentary committee, giving misleading evidence can be considered acontempt of parliament.[4]
In 1994 theUK parliament's Treasury & Civil Service Committee noted that "the knowledge that ministers and civil servants may evade questions and put the best gloss on the facts but will not lie or knowingly mislead the House of Commons is one of the most powerful tools MPs have in holding the executive to account".[5] The committee argued that any minister who was discovered to have knowingly lied to parliament should resign.[6] Intentionally misleading parliament could result in being held incontempt of parliament; however, it is unclear what penalties there would be. The UK parliament has not levied a fine since 1666.[7] As a result,Channel 4 found that "It's easier to get thrown out of the House of Commons for calling someone a liar than for lying itself."[8]
In 2021, a petition to make knowingly lying to parliament a criminal offence obtained more than 100,000 signatures. The UK government announced that it does not plan to do so.[10]
It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to the Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead the Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the First Minister
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