Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 February (HL Deb col 490), whether there is any constitutional obstacle to the Government hiring an independent King's Counsel to investigate a suspended Minister, rather than asking the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to do so.

As Head of the Executive, the Prime Minister may request that any investigation work in relation to the conduct of serving Ministers is undertaken by a range of relevant individuals, including the Independent Adviser of Ministerial Standards or legal counsel.