Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether agreement is required from a Minister in his Department before departments employ recruitment consultants for use in public appointment campaigns.

The Governance Code on Public Appointments sets out the process for departments to follow when considering the use of recruitment consultants for public appointment campaigns.

The Governance Code requires departments to seek ministerial agreement on the use of recruitment consultants. It also requires the Cabinet Office to be consulted.