Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether gagging clauses have been used in contracts drawn up between his Department and any charities, voluntary sector organisations, social enterprises or companies with the intention of stopping any criticism of Ministers of his Department.

The model (standard) Foreign and Commonwealth Office contract terms and conditions contain clauses to protect confidentiality and ensure protection of sensitive data . They do not contain any gagging clauses and we have no record of any contracts containing them.