Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) Cabinet Office Ministers and (b) the Prime Minister were consulted on and approved the exit payment to Lord Mandelson.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government’s statement and release of information on 11th March and 1st June, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The approval process for the payment was detailed by the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister in his statement to the House on 11 March. The documents published in the first and second tranches contain the entirety of the documents the Government has available for disclosure, except those being withheld at the request of the Metropolitan police.