Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, 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.

The Cabinet Office has reviewed the standard forms of contract it uses. There are clauses about interaction between the parties, how to protect the parties’ best interests and safeguard commercial and sensitive information which are long established in government contracts. These clauses are not intended to stop criticism of Ministers, the Department or its policies.

Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February 2015 can be viewed at: https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive

Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search”