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Written question asked by Mike Wood (Conservative) on Monday, 8 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 10 June 2026. It was answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 June 2026 on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

Cabinet Office: Business Interests

Question

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 13 April 2026, to Question 123694, on Public Appointments: Business Interests, whether his Department provides guidance to Arm’s Length Bodies on processes to manage potential conflicts of interest for senior staff when they leave employment.

Answer

The Business Appointment Rules apply to civil servants, special advisers, and ministers on leaving office, via their relevant codes of conduct. Guidance on the Business Appointment Rules can be found here on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-appointment-rules-for-crown-servants

The Code of Conduct for Board Members states that “On leaving office, you must comply with the rules of the body on the acceptance of future employment or appointments. Each body should have its own rules on this”

Public bodies operating at arm’s length from government are expected to implement their own equivalent processes to manage potential conflicts of interest. These should be tailored to the specific organisational context, and in line with relevant guidance and support from their sponsor department.



Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
7430
Session
2026-27
Related items
Public Appointments: Business Interests
Monday, 13 April 2026
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Business interests Cabinet Office
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk