Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2022 to Question 137328 on National Lottery Community Fund: Public Appointments, whether there has been contact between the public appointments unit in 10 Downing Street and Conservative Party officials in relation to any other public appointment.

As noted in my answer to PQ126900, the Appointments Unit is staffed by civil servants. Civil servants act in line with the Civil Service Code and its principles of political impartiality.

Party political activity is not a material consideration in public appointments: but nor should it be a bar. Many of those who are active in politics have a strong commitment to public service, and there is nothing wrong with such individuals wishing to apply for any public appointment. Experience of working in the voluntary sector (including a political party) or holding public office can be relevant to the criteria for many appointments.

All vacancies are advertised on the public appointments website, and any member of the public (including any member of any political party) can sign up to an email newsletter to be informed of upcoming opportunities.

Applications are considered on merit in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, and any significant political activity is openly declared on appointment.

Official statistics from the Commissioner for Public Appointments show that in 2020-21, just 2% of all appointments (and re-appointments) declared significant political activity relating to the Conservative Party (32 people out of 1538 appointments). This compares with 6% of appointees declaring Labour Party activity in 2009-10 under the last Labour Government.