Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his departmental IT systems routinely allow officials, advisers and ministers to access private email accounts from their office desktop computers and department-issue laptop computers and mobile phone devices.

I refer the Hon. Member to the Cabinet Office guidance to departments on use of private emails.

It is Government policy not to comment on specific technical security controls; however, the incidental personal use of private email accounts from departmental systems is subject to our Acceptable Use policy, in spare time.