Yet we now know that ministers have been hearing this advice for years - but have not acted upon it.

This necessarily leads the courts into reviewing the evidence on which the minister acted.

He said that ministers could not act above the law.

A true minister, in such situations, must act as though he'd never heard the threats.

Additionally, the prime minister acts as the superior of all civil servants.

Such a requirement, however, has been made by way of statutes which require the minister to act personally.

This seeks to establish that a minister or local authority has acted beyond its powers.

It should be noted however, that often when a minister acts through his civil servants, there is no delegation.

Selflessness: ministers should act entirely in the public interest.

Many former ministers act as advisers to big accounting firms.