Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what circumstances (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants can override a United Kingdom Security Vetting recommendation not to appoint an individual to a civil servant appointment.

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) provides a range of independent vetting services designed to identify potential personnel security risks. However, the employing department ultimately owns the risk of any appointment decision. Senior officials with responsibility for personnel security within their department evaluate vetting outcomes alongside the specific requirements of a post and the organisation's risk appetite.