Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, under which section of the Civil Service Code is civil service support to the Alternative Arrangements Working Group permissible.

Ministers, including myself, have been meeting a wide range of MPs in various groups and other stakeholders to discuss the Government’s approach to EU Exit. This has included discussion of alternative arrangements to the backstop, following Parliament’s indication of support for such a position.

The Civil Service supports the Government in developing and implementing its policies. In this context, it is proper for civil servants to support Ministers in conducting these meetings. No support has been extended to backbench MPs, or other individuals or groups outwith Government.