The Department does not hold this information.

Contractual provisions that impose obligations on suppliers not to harm the reputation of the purchasing authority or otherwise bring it into disrepute are not new policy, such provisions are well-established and widely used in both the public and private sector and are transparent throughout the tendering process. These provisions ensure that contractors adhere to good working practices and governance, for example by ensuring they do not break employment law or use dangerous, unfair or unethical practices which may bring the Authority into disrepute or harm public confidence. Such provisions do not stop any contract holders or affiliates from criticising any specific government department, government policy or politicians.

In contracts used across government, including at the Department for Work and Pensions and its Universal Credit programme, there are clauses that vary in different forms, typically these clauses require the supplier to ensure that neither it, nor any of its Affiliates, bring the Authority into disrepute by engaging in any act or omission which is reasonably likely to diminish the trust that the public places in the Authority, regardless of whether or not such act or omission is related to the Supplier’s obligations under said Agreement.

These clauses do not prevent the contracting bodies from making statements critical of government policy, or programmes such as Universal Credit or politicians, and certainly do not prevent whistle-blowing (as this would be unlawful). They are designed to protect government, to ensure that contractors adhere to good working practices and do not engage in activities that will bring the Authority into disrepute or otherwise harm the confidence of the public in Government.

As was the case under previous administrations, ministerial appointments are a matter for the Prime Minister, in line with the Ministerial Code.

For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a life peerage, the independent House of Lords Appointments Commission vets nominations. For those individuals upon whom the Prime Minister wishes to confer a peerage in order that they might sit in the House of Lords to take up a ministerial role, the Commission consults the main regulatory authorities, including HMRC, before giving advice.

I refer the Noble Lord to the GOV.uk web page: https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers

The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), the Deputy Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Halam (Mr Clegg), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Ms Greening), and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), attended the World Economic Forum at Davos this year. 25 officials accompanied them. Ministers travel, making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements, in accordance with chapter 10 of the 'Ministerial Code'. Details of ministerial overseas travel are published quarterly and are available on the gov.uk website.

The Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron); the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right honourable friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) and Minister for the Cabinet Office, my right honourable friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), attended the World Economic Forum at Davos this year. Twenty officials also attended.

The actual cost of the ministerial visits will be published by the respective departments in due course as part of the Government’s transparency reporting.

A full list of Olympic tickets bought by Government for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including who received them and their face value, can be found at: http://www.culture.gov.uk/ publications/9672.aspx.

The Ministerial Code requires former Ministers (and serving Ministers, if appropriate) to seek advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about any appointment or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office. As was the case under the previous Administration, the process is confidential.

The advisory committee considers each application on its individual merits and in accordance with the Business Appointment Rules for Former Ministers published on its website at: http://acoba.independent.gov.uk. The normal process was followed in respect of Lord Sassoon's recent application. As the committee makes clear on its website, it advised that it saw no reason why Lord Sassoon should not take up the appointment immediately after he left ministerial office, subject to the following conditions:

for three months from his last day in office, his activities on behalf of his new employer would be strictly limited to matters directly concerning the company's interests in Asia, and that he would have no involvement in its UK business or operation;

for 12 months from the same date, he should not provide advice to his new employer, or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group, on the terms of any bid or contract directly relating to HM Treasury; and

for two years from the same date, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of his new employer or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group.

The advisory committee publishes on its website the advice it has given on appointments. This information, which includes relevant dates, is also published in the advisory committee's annual reports. These are also available on the advisory committee's website going back to 1996.

The Ministerial Code requires former Ministers (and serving Ministers, if appropriate) to seek advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about any appointment or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office. As was the case under the previous Administration, the process is confidential.

The advisory committee considers each application on its individual merits and in accordance with the Business Appointment Rules for Former Ministers published on its website at: http://acoba.independent.gov.uk. The normal process was followed in respect of Lord Sassoon's recent application. As the committee makes clear on its website, it advised that it saw no reason why Lord Sassoon should not take up the appointment immediately after he left ministerial office, subject to the following conditions:

for three months from his last day in office, his activities on behalf of his new employer would be strictly limited to matters directly concerning the company's interests in Asia, and that he would have no involvement in its UK business or operation;

for 12 months from the same date, he should not provide advice to his new employer, or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group, on the terms of any bid or contract directly relating to HM Treasury; and

for two years from the same date, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of his new employer or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group.

The advisory committee publishes on its website the advice it has given on appointments. This information, which includes relevant dates, is also published in the advisory committee's annual reports. These are also available on the advisory committee's website going back to 1996.

The Ministerial Code requires former Ministers (and serving Ministers, if appropriate) to seek advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about any appointment or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office. As was the case under the previous Administration, the process is confidential.

The advisory committee considers each application on its individual merits and in accordance with the Business Appointment Rules for Former Ministers published on its website at: http://acoba.independent.gov.uk. The normal process was followed in respect of Lord Sassoon's recent application. As the committee makes clear on its website, it advised that it saw no reason why Lord Sassoon should not take up the appointment immediately after he left ministerial office, subject to the following conditions:

for three months from his last day in office, his activities on behalf of his new employer would be strictly limited to matters directly concerning the company's interests in Asia, and that he would have no involvement in its UK business or operation;

for 12 months from the same date, he should not provide advice to his new employer, or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group, on the terms of any bid or contract directly relating to HM Treasury; and

for two years from the same date, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of his new employer or any subsidiary of the Jardine Matheson Group.

The advisory committee publishes on its website the advice it has given on appointments. This information, which includes relevant dates, is also published in the advisory committee's annual reports. These are also available on the advisory committee's website going back to 1996.

The following Ministers have visited Mexico representing the UK since May 2010.

Prime Minister, Right Honourable David Cameron MP—June 2012;

Deputy Prime Minister, Right Honourable Nick Clegg MP—March 2011;

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Right Honourable George Osborne MP—February 2012, June 2012, November 2012;

Former Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Jeremy Browne MP—November 2010, March 2011, October 2011, February 2012;

Minister for Trade and Investment, Right Honourable the Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint—June 2012;

Minister of State for Universities and Science, Right Honourable David Willetts MP—March 2011;

Former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Right Honourable Chris Huhne MP—December 2010;

Former Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, Right Honourable Greg Barker MP— December 2010; and

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, Norman Lamb MP—April 2012;

In addition, over the same period the following individuals, although not government Ministers, have visited Mexico representing the UK.

the Right Honourable the Lord Lamont of Lerwick. To represent the Government at the inauguration of Mexican President Pena Nieto—December 2012;

the Right Honourable the Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, former trade adviser to the Government. To promote bilateral trade and investment—February 2011; and

the Right Honourable Sir John Major. To represent the UK Government during Mexico’s bicentenary celebrations—September 2010.

Further visits to Mexico by UK Ministers and other representatives of the Government will take place during 2013 and subsequent years.

I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 11 December to a Written Question from the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy of Southwark, (Official Report, col. WA 210) and my Answer of 13 December to a Oral Question from the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Official Report, col. 1157).