Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Monday, 27 July 2020, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 10 August 2020. It was answered by Baroness Sugg (Conservative) on Wednesday, 5 August 2020 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Westminster Foundation for Democracy: Directors

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that members of the board of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy are not compromised in that role by association with states whose governments (1) are undemocratic, and (2) fail to adhere to legally-binding international treaties to which they are party.

Answer: The Government already has measures in place to ensure that members of the board of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) are not compromised in the work that they do as board members. The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. WFD Board members must also abide by the terms and conditions set out in the FCO-WFD Framework Agreement, which includes the need to comply at all times with the Code of Conduct. They are asked to disclose any relevant interests on an annual basis and any conflicts of interest at each board meeting. Additionally, to ensure there are no conflicts of interest when appointing members to an arms-length body listed on the Public Appointments Order in Council, such as the WFD, all government departments must follow the processes set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Secondary information