Asked by: Lloyd Hatton (Labour - South Dorset)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to establish a central online register for conflicts of interest across government.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
The government accepted the recommendations of the NAO’s 2024 report on conflict of interest management in government. In line with those recommendations,a good practice forum has been established and has met on a number of occasions since the NAO report was published - including to discuss the development of refreshed policy guidance setting a minimum standard, which will be published in due course. Once the revised policy is in place, departments will be encouraged to commission their internal auditors to review their implementation of the standard. In line with the NAO’s recommendation, the Government Internal Audit Agency has participated in the good practice forum.
Asked by: Lloyd Hatton (Labour - South Dorset)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the NAO’s 2024 report on conflict of interest management in government.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
The government accepted the recommendations of the NAO’s 2024 report on conflict of interest management in government. In line with those recommendations,a good practice forum has been established and has met on a number of occasions since the NAO report was published - including to discuss the development of refreshed policy guidance setting a minimum standard, which will be published in due course. Once the revised policy is in place, departments will be encouraged to commission their internal auditors to review their implementation of the standard. In line with the NAO’s recommendation, the Government Internal Audit Agency has participated in the good practice forum.
Asked by: Lloyd Hatton (Labour - South Dorset)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Audit Office's report entitled Managing conflicts of interest: value for money, published on 22 November 2024, whether the Government plans to introduce central electronic registers for all public bodies.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
We are committed to restoring public confidence in government and ensuring that all those in public service are held to the highest standards.
We will consider carefully the National Audit Office’s recommendations in its recent report ‘Managing Conflicts of Interest’.
Asked by: Lloyd Hatton (Labour - South Dorset)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish a new terms of reference for the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Interests; and whether this will include the power to initiate investigations.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer to the answer to UIN 5293.
Asked by: Lloyd Hatton (Labour - South Dorset)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish a new Ministerial Code of Conduct; and whether it will include (a) an explicit commitment to the seven Principles of Public Life, (b) an ability for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests to initiate investigations into breaches of the code without needing the consent of the Prime Minister and (c) new restrictions on former ministers taking up outside employment through a deed of undertaking.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Prime Minister intends to issue and publish an updated version of the Ministerial Code shortly, in which he will set out his expectations for the conduct of all who serve in Government as Ministers.