Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111711 on Ministers: Public Appointments, whether this process requires (a) previous political activity to be declared prior to appointment and (b) current political activity to be declared on an ongoing basis.
Direct Ministerial Appointments are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. As set out in the Code, all potential conflicts of interest - including political activity where that is an actual or perceived conflict to the role - should, as a minimum, be declared publicly, usually in the sponsor body’s register of interests. It is the sponsor body’s responsibility to maintain a register of interests, which should be proactively refreshed twice yearly at the beginning of the fiscal year and at the beginning of Q3. Appointees are asked to inform their sponsor body throughout the year of any relevant additions or changes to their interests as soon as they occur.