Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 47, paragraph M of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee report on China, whether the Government plans to update guidelines for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments in relation to intelligence and security matters with particular reference to China.

The Government’s recently published response to the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report on China states: “The government will consider the findings of the committee’s report … and consider strengthening the Business Appointment Rules in relation to intelligence and security matters as appropriate.”

The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-isc-china-report

It is already the case that, depending on the nature of the role, national security implications may form part of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments’ considerations.