Distribution of Cabinet and committee minutes

The Cabinet agenda and papers are sent to all Cabinet Ministers. Papers are sometimes given to Ministers outside Cabinet if they have a direct portfolio interest.

Cabinet minutes are distributed to Ministers with a portfolio interest in the decision.

Where Ministers are listed under their portfolio name, they usually receive two copies. The second copy is for the department, if the Minister agrees. If the Minister decides against sending the minute itself, the department may be sent a precis of the decision or extracts from it.

In some cases, Ministers or chief executives will need to consider conveying the substance of a Cabinet decision to other Crown agencies administered within the Minister's portfolio.

Ministers are usually described on Cabinet and committee minutes in their portfolio capacity (that is, the Minister of [xx]). They are occasionally shown in their personal capacity (that is, the Hon William Smith) where they have a personal rather than a portfolio interest in an issue. Where Ministers are listed as individuals or as an Associate Minister, they receive only one copy of the minute. This means there is no need to send a copy to the department.

Ministers who are members of a Cabinet committee receive a copy of the agenda and all the papers and minutes. Ministers who are not members of the committee receive a copy of the agenda, and the paper(s) and minute(s) in which they have a portfolio interest. Staff in ministerial offices should familiarise themselves with their Minister's membership of committees.

The distribution of Cabinet and committee agendas and papers