§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Prime Minister what controls there are on the Downing Street Strategic Communications Unit to prevent it furthering party purposes. [125728]
§ The Prime MinisterStaff in the Strategic Communications Unit are subject to the requirements of the "Civil Service Code" and "Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service", which make clear that public resources must not be used for party political purposes. Ministers are also under a duty, set out in the "Ministerial Code", to uphold the political impartiality of the civil service, and not to ask civil servants to act in any way which would conflict with the "Civil Service Code".