Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her departmental IT systems routinely allow officials, advisers and ministers to access private email accounts from their office desktop computers, department-issue laptop computers and mobile phone devices.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the Cabinet Office guidance to departments on use of private emails.

The Government Security Group have confirmed that it is government policy not to comment on specific technical security controls; however, the incidental personal use of private email accounts from departmental systems is subject to our IT Acceptable Use policy.