Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether a Ministerial Direction was issued in regards to the decision to award a contract to Peters and Peters in relation to the opinion published regarding the Committee of Privileges' inquiry into the Rt. hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

As the Privileges Committee inquiry relates to the conduct of the now former Prime Minister making statements at the despatch box on behalf of the Government as a Minister, the Government is supporting his response to Parliament, as with any Minister, and has instructed legal support. No Ministerial Direction was issued.