§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. EggarMy Department provides standing guidance supplemented from time to time by internal notices to all staff. The latest notice on shareholdings was issued in February 1991. Staff, including those in the Department's agencies, are required to report any possible conflict of interest to their senior line managers. Separate 987W arrangements exist for the full disclosure of the financial interests of the most senior grades. In addition, all heads of management units are required to consider the potential for conflicts of interest within their area of responsibility, to provide, if necessary, specific guidance, with detailed reporting requirements and to take action in response to any disclosure of shareholdings by staff, to ensure that conflicts of interest do not occur.