§ Mr. WilshireTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a list, including names and dates, of all meetings that(a) he, (b) his officials, (c) his advisers and (d) his PPS have held during (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999 with people who work for political lobbying firms or for businesses that are members of the Public Relations Consultants Association. [79648]
§ Ms JowellThis information requested is not available in a collated form centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, all official meetings are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. In order to preserve confidentiality it is not the normal practice of Government to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies. The requirements of the Ministerial Code also apply to Parliamentary Private Secretaries when attending meetings in an official or semi-official capacity.