Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Christopher Thomas, the new advisor to the DHSC Permanent Secretary, has been appointed on a permanent or recruitment exception basis; and if a declaration of political activity was made.

I am informed by the Department that Christopher Thomas was appointed to the role of Policy and Transformation Adviser to the Permanent Secretary on a fixed-term basis under Exception 1 of the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, and that no declaration of political activity was made as part of that appointment process.