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| Gove summoned before MPs over advisers' 'bullying' case | Gove summoned before MPs over advisers' 'bullying' case |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Katherine Sellgren BBC News education reporter | By Katherine Sellgren BBC News education reporter |
| Michael Gove is to be summoned to reappear before MPs to face further questions about what he knew of claims of bullying by his key advisers. | Michael Gove is to be summoned to reappear before MPs to face further questions about what he knew of claims of bullying by his key advisers. |
| The Education Select Committee resolved in its private business on Wednesday to recall the education secretary and the Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald. | The Education Select Committee resolved in its private business on Wednesday to recall the education secretary and the Permanent Secretary, Chris Wormald. |
| Mr Gove had previously told the MPs he had been unaware of any such claims. | Mr Gove had previously told the MPs he had been unaware of any such claims. |
| Two members of his staff have been involved in a grievance procedure involving a senior civil servant. | Two members of his staff have been involved in a grievance procedure involving a senior civil servant. |
| A date for Mr Gove and Mr Wormald to appear before the committee is now being sought. | A date for Mr Gove and Mr Wormald to appear before the committee is now being sought. |
| They will face questions about a senior civil servant's allegations of bullying by one of Mr Gove's special advisers, Dominic Cummings, and James Frayne, his department's former head of communications. | They will face questions about a senior civil servant's allegations of bullying by one of Mr Gove's special advisers, Dominic Cummings, and James Frayne, his department's former head of communications. |
| £25,000 payout | £25,000 payout |
| A Department for Education (DfE) report into the allegations, written by a high-ranking civil servant, found no grounds for disciplinary action, but acknowledged the two men had been "perceived as intimidating" at times and that bad language had been used. | A Department for Education (DfE) report into the allegations, written by a high-ranking civil servant, found no grounds for disciplinary action, but acknowledged the two men had been "perceived as intimidating" at times and that bad language had been used. |
| The case was to be heard in an employment tribunal, with the secretary of state listed as the respondent. | The case was to be heard in an employment tribunal, with the secretary of state listed as the respondent. |
| But the DfE settled the case with a reported £25,000 payout before it got to an open court hearing. | But the DfE settled the case with a reported £25,000 payout before it got to an open court hearing. |
| On 23 January, Mr Gove was asked by Labour select committee member Ian Mearns whether he was "aware of allegations of Spads [special advisers] acting inappropriately to civil servants within the department"? To which, he answered: "No". | On 23 January, Mr Gove was asked by Labour select committee member Ian Mearns whether he was "aware of allegations of Spads [special advisers] acting inappropriately to civil servants within the department"? To which, he answered: "No". |
| Now the committee has summoned him to face further questions about the affair. | Now the committee has summoned him to face further questions about the affair. |
| Under the ministerial code, the responsibility for the management and conduct of special advisers, including discipline, rests with the minister who made the appointment. | Under the ministerial code, the responsibility for the management and conduct of special advisers, including discipline, rests with the minister who made the appointment. |
| The code says: "Individual ministers will be accountable to the prime minister, Parliament and the public for their actions and decisions in respect of their special advisers." | The code says: "Individual ministers will be accountable to the prime minister, Parliament and the public for their actions and decisions in respect of their special advisers." |
| Commenting on the recall, Mr Mearns said: "The education secretary clearly has questions to answer. | |
| "He says he was unaware of serious allegations of bullying and harassment regarding his close advisers; however, the ministerial code is quite clear - 'the responsibility of the management and conduct of special advisors, including discipline, rests with the minister who made the appointment'. | "He says he was unaware of serious allegations of bullying and harassment regarding his close advisers; however, the ministerial code is quite clear - 'the responsibility of the management and conduct of special advisors, including discipline, rests with the minister who made the appointment'. |
| "Given the allegations against his advisors, the secretary of state needs to account for his adherence, or lack of it, to the ministerial code." | "Given the allegations against his advisors, the secretary of state needs to account for his adherence, or lack of it, to the ministerial code." |