§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance, other than the civil service pay and conditions of service code and the establishment officers' guide, his Department provides relating to civil servants' shareholdings; if he will list the number of occasions within the last five years on which civil servants have reported shareholdings to establishment officers in his Department; what regulations apply to the staff of the next steps agencies within his Department; what mechanisms are in place to prevent potential conflicts of interest; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveMy Department provides brief guidance in part IV of the Cabinet Office staff handbook, but individuals refer to the code and guide for detail. All 691W three documents are publicly available whilst the code and the guide are in the Library of the House. The same regulations apply to staff in the agencies. Information about reported shareholdings is not held centrally in the form requested; each application is, however, scrutinised carefully to guard against potential conflicts of interest.