To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2026 to Question 14355 on Public Appointments: Equality, whether socio-economic background of an applicant is a material consideration in the appointment process for (a) regulated public appointments and (b) civil servants.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2026 to Question 14355 on Public Appointments: Equality, whether socio-economic background of an applicant is a material consideration in the appointment process for (a) regulated public appointments and (b) civil servants.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2026 to Question 18036 on Government Departments: Public Appointments, whether the Cabinet Office has given guidance to departments on whether they may disclose the political activity of Direct Ministerial Appointments.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 20 July 2026 to Question 18036 on Government Departments: Public Appointments, whether the Cabinet Office has given guidance to departments on whether they may disclose the political activity of Direct Ministerial Appointments.

To ask His Majesty's Government, following delays in recent years in the recruitment and appointment process for inspectorate and regulatory roles leading to (1) the extension of the contract for the current HM Chief Inspector for Prisons to 2027, and (2) the appointment of interim post holders for the Independent...

To ask His Majesty's Government, following delays in recent years in the recruitment and appointment process for inspectorate and regulatory roles leading to (1) the extension of the contract for the current HM Chief Inspector for Prisons to 2027, and (2) the appointment of interim post holders for the Independent...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to implement the recommendations in the report by the Ethics and Integrity Commission, Lobbying, Business Appointment Rules and Disclosure, published on 9 July.

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to implement the recommendations in the report by the Ethics and Integrity Commission, Lobbying, Business Appointment Rules and Disclosure, published on 9 July.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026, to Question 12787, on Government Departments: Public Appointments, whether the approach on GDPR applies to declarations in relation to ministerial appointments.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2026, to Question 12787, on Government Departments: Public Appointments, whether the approach on GDPR applies to declarations in relation to ministerial appointments.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the news story entitled Independent Review of the Use of Non-corporate Communications Channels in Government, of 2 July 2026, whether Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein is a direct Ministerial appointment.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the news story entitled Independent Review of the Use of Non-corporate Communications Channels in Government, of 2 July 2026, whether Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein is a direct Ministerial appointment.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Ministry of Justice, Public appointments diversity and outreach strategy 2026, published 11 June 2026, whether the Cabinet Office intends to set a percentage target on demonstrable diversity on sift and interview panels, and adopt similar policies on (a)...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Ministry of Justice, Public appointments diversity and outreach strategy 2026, published 11 June 2026, whether the Cabinet Office intends to set a percentage target on demonstrable diversity on sift and interview panels, and adopt similar policies on (a)...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 9334, on DSIT: Public Appointments, and further to the Cabinet Office publication, Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments of 1 June 2026, what guidance his Department has given to departments on whether...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 9334, on DSIT: Public Appointments, and further to the Cabinet Office publication, Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments of 1 June 2026, what guidance his Department has given to departments on whether...

I say politely to the hon. Lady that I have already answered all of those questions.

The Government will continue their review with Sir Adrian Fulford, looking at recommendations for the national security vetting system arising from the lessons of the Peter Mandelson case. We are ordering an examination of any...

I say politely to the hon. Lady that I have already answered all of those questions.

The Government will continue their review with Sir Adrian Fulford, looking at recommendations for the national security vetting system arising from the lessons of the Peter Mandelson case. We are ordering an examination of any...

Motion that this House has considered the Government's response to the House’s humble Address of 4 February 2026. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered the Government's response to the House’s humble Address of 4 February 2026. Agreed to on question.

On the subject of someone who might be keen on Gladstone, I will give way.

On the subject of someone who might be keen on Gladstone, I will give way.

The right hon. Gentleman knows me well, and he knows of my disdain for Gladstone and my deep admiration for his rival Benjamin Disraeli, who in my judgment was the greatest ever Prime Minister by far.

The key thing about the ISC, on which I sit—I am grateful for the Minister’s...

The right hon. Gentleman knows me well, and he knows of my disdain for Gladstone and my deep admiration for his rival Benjamin Disraeli, who in my judgment was the greatest ever Prime Minister by far.

The key thing about the ISC, on which I sit—I am grateful for the Minister’s...

It was an official-led process. Let me just make that clear, because the right hon. Gentleman points towards a pretty important issue. We had the Humble Address and its wording—hon. Members can read that wording—with the quite extensive list drafted by the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the...

It was an official-led process. Let me just make that clear, because the right hon. Gentleman points towards a pretty important issue. We had the Humble Address and its wording—hon. Members can read that wording—with the quite extensive list drafted by the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the...

The Minister is being incredibly generous with his time. As an aside, I think many hon. Members in this place—those on the Conservative Benches at least—would like to go back to the 19th century.

It is clear that officials have done a huge amount of work with regard to this process....

The Minister is being incredibly generous with his time. As an aside, I think many hon. Members in this place—those on the Conservative Benches at least—would like to go back to the 19th century.

It is clear that officials have done a huge amount of work with regard to this process....

That was another important part of what was done, and the House should also take reassurance from that. I made the point about precedents to the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), and the Government also sought to take that independent legal advice on...

That was another important part of what was done, and the House should also take reassurance from that. I made the point about precedents to the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), and the Government also sought to take that independent legal advice on...

rose—

rose—

I will take an intervention from the right hon. Gentleman, but then I need to make a bit more progress.

I will take an intervention from the right hon. Gentleman, but then I need to make a bit more progress.

I want to clear up the point about precedents. It may be that I am wrong about this, but I do not think there is any precedent for the House deciding that the Intelligence and Security Committee specifically should look at material that was to be redacted before it went...

I want to clear up the point about precedents. It may be that I am wrong about this, but I do not think there is any precedent for the House deciding that the Intelligence and Security Committee specifically should look at material that was to be redacted before it went...

I agree with the right hon. Gentleman. It is just that if he looks at the wording of the Humble Address, he will see that it lists a series of classes of documents, and then it says, “except papers”—those that were referred to the ISC. That is our compliance with...

I agree with the right hon. Gentleman. It is just that if he looks at the wording of the Humble Address, he will see that it lists a series of classes of documents, and then it says, “except papers”—those that were referred to the ISC. That is our compliance with...

On the point of communication between Peter Mandelson and Ministers, the fact remains that the more documents that are released, the more questions emerge about Peter Mandelson’s reach across Government. Will the Minister tell the House whether Lord Mandelson had any discussions whatsoever with Ministers, officials or advisers about Palantir?...

On the point of communication between Peter Mandelson and Ministers, the fact remains that the more documents that are released, the more questions emerge about Peter Mandelson’s reach across Government. Will the Minister tell the House whether Lord Mandelson had any discussions whatsoever with Ministers, officials or advisers about Palantir?...