Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance her Department issues on the use of WhatsApp.

All departments in central government, including arms lengths bodies, apply the published guidance: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business published by Cabinet Office in March 2023.

It applies to all individuals in central government (ministers, special advisers, officials, contractors, non-executive board members and independent experts advising ministers). Department for Science, Innovation and Technology uses the central guidance and has applied it since March 2023.