Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to strengthen the code of conduct for special advisers.

An updated Code of Conduct for Special Advisers will be published in due course.

I would add that a revised version of the Special Adviser Code of Conduct was published in October 2015, taking into account recommendations from the (then) Public Administration Select Committee at the end of the last Parliament. The Code ensures high standards of integrity and professionalism, whilst recognising the political dimension of the advice and assistance that special advisers provide to Ministers.