Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether guidance has been provided on how the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010 could potentially apply to the provision of gifts and hospitality to Ministers.

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Ministers, including the overarching duty to comply with the law.

The Code sets out guidance on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, stipulating that Ministers should not accept any gift, hospitality, or service which would, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their work in government. The Code also explains how details of ministerial gifts or hospitality received will be published, and that gifts given to Ministers in their ministerial capacity become the property of the government.