Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of merging that role into the proposed Ethics and Integrity Commission.

The Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests plays a critically important role as a source of trusted, impartial advice.

The Government has committed to establishing a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission, with its own independent Chair. We will ensure that this Commission has the powers and remit necessary to fulfil its responsibilities and will provide an update in due course.