The Cabinet committee is at the heart of the British political system. It is made up of Secretaries of State from all departments as well as other ministers, and is the supreme decision-making body in government.
It meets in the Cabinet Room in 10 Downing Street every Thursday morning during Parliament, to discuss the major issues of the day. The Prime Minister chairs the meetings, selects its members, and recommends their appointment as ministers to the Queen.
The present Cabinet has 23 members (21 MP's and 2 peers), and a further 3 ministers attend the meetings. The Secretary of the Cabinet is responsible for preparing records of its discussions and decisions.
The Cabinet is a system of collective responsibility, in which its members are expected to give public support to government policy even if they do not support that policy personally. They are expected to defend policy in the media and in their constituencies, showing that the Cabinet is unified and providing a powerful opponent for the Opposition.
However, in the event of issues of conscience such as abortion and capital punishment, they are typically allowed to express their own personal view.
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