Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Business appointment rules return - September 2025, published on 16 December 2025, for what reason the former Director of Financial Services was given a six month lobbying ban.

The Business Appointment rules are designed to uphold the core values in the Civil Service Code. The aim of the rules is that when a civil servant takes up an outside appointment or employment there should be no cause for justified public concern, criticism, or misinterpretation. These aims were considered in this case, and appropriate mitigations were put in place in line with standard HM Treasury practice and in accordance with the Business Appointment rules.