Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson has disposed of his shares in Global Counsel or placed them in the hands of a trustee in order to guard against a conflict of interest.

There is a robust and established process in place for the management of interests held by all Senior Civil Servants. This process is designed to identify and, where necessary, mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. This process applies in the normal way to Lord Mandelson's appointment. It is improper to discuss the specifics of any individual case.