Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether gagging clauses have been used in contracts drawn up between his Department and any charities, voluntary sector organisations, social enterprises or companies with the intention of stopping any criticism of Ministers of his Department.

None of Defra’s contracts include any statement that could be interpreted as a “gagging clause” of this kind.

For some EU Exit related work, we have entered Non-Disclosure Agreements with the aim being to protect the United Kingdom’s position in relation to the ongoing negotiations.