Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Non-Disclosure Agreements the Cabinet Office has agreed for each of the last three years.

Under the Cabinet Office issued guidance on the use of confidentiality clauses in the Civil Service, there are certain circumstances where departments are obliged to seek Cabinet Office Ministerial approval before using such clauses in a settlement agreement. This includes where the case meets any of the following criteria:

• involves a member of the Senior Civil Service;

• is high visibility or is likely to be contentious;

• has a proposed payment of £100,00 or more;

• has a confidentiality clause that deviates from the recommended Cabinet Office wording or;

• involves allegations of bullying, harassment or discrimination.

Since April 2019, under the aforementioned Cabinet Office control, approval has been given for two uses of a confidentiality clause.