Petition Where any ex minister writes a book using his experiences in office, all profits from that book are to be paid into the public purse.

A recent case arising out of a book written by a former minister is creating an expense on the public purse out of a private matter. If it is to be that the taxpayer is liable for court costs arising out of actions involving what is stated in a book written by an ex-minister then it follows that any profits arising out of any book written by any ex-minister (because the writing of the book creates a risk for the public purse in any future litigation arising out of the content of the book) should be passed to the public purse. Ex-ministers cannot expect to write books and profit from them while at the same time establishing a risk for the public purse to pick up the tab for any legal matters arising out of the book.