Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department takes to vet the (a) financial interests and (b) potential conflicts of interest of non-executive board members before their appointment.

In accordance with the code of practice for corporate governance in central government departments, the Department requires non-executive directors to declare sources of renumeration, contracts, shares and securities, non-financial interests, and related party interests that may influence, or may be perceived to influence, their judgement as a board member.

During the recruitment and onboarding process for non-executive directors my department conducts its own due diligence to make sure that office holders meet the standards set out in the code of conduct for board members. The Department reviews any real or potential conflicts of interests declared and publishes these, with any mitigating action taken, in the Department’s annual governance statement.