Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 4 September (HL Deb col 1157), and to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 4 September (HC2317), whether Nick Thomas–Symonds declared, as a political donation in kind, the reported use of a seconded member of staff from Labour Together to (1) the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, or (2) to the Cabinet Secretary, before that member of staff, Jessica Sargeant, was appointed as a Deputy Director at the Cabinet Office by exception; whether they considered recusal; and whether Cabinet Office officials were informed of any political donations when they considered the delegated Recruitment Principles exception request for Miss Sargeant’s appointment to the Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Constitution Group.

There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers, which ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.