Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are taking to ensure transparency in relation to ministerial recusals.

Under the terms of the Ministerial Code, Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their ministerial position and their private interests, financial or otherwise.

There is an established regime in place for the declaration and management of interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. Interests judged, by the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, to be relevant to a ministerial role are published in the List of Ministers' Interests, which is available on GOV.UK.

As set out in the Ministerial Code, it is the personal responsibility of each Minister to decide whether and what action is needed to avoid a conflict or the perception of a conflict, taking account of advice received from their Permanent Secretary and the Independent Adviser on Ministers' interests.