The Minister for the Civil Service must publish a code of conduct for the civil service (excluding the diplomatic service).

For this purpose, the Minister may publish separate codes of conduct covering civil servants who serve the Scottish Executive or the Welsh Assembly Government.

Before publishing a code (or any revision of a code) under subsection (2), the Minister must consult the First Minister for Scotland or the First Minister for Wales (as the case may be).

In this Chapter “civil service code” means a code of conduct published under this section as it is in force for the time being.

The Minister for the Civil Service must lay any civil service code before Parliament.

The First Minister for Scotland must lay before the Scottish Parliament any civil service code under subsection (2) that covers civil servants who serve the Scottish Executive.

The First Minister for Wales must lay before the National Assembly for Wales any civil service code under subsection (2) that covers civil servants who serve the Welsh Assembly Government.

A civil service code forms part of the terms and conditions of service of any civil servant covered by the code.