Recommendation 8

The Ministerial Code further requires that hospitality received by ministers in a ministerial capacity is declared on departments’ quarterly transparency releases.14 During 8 Q 35, C&AG’s Report, para 13 9 Qq 85, 90–91, 122 10 C&AG’s Report, para 2.25 11 Cabinet Office, Ministerial Code, May 2022, para 8.14 12 Information Commissioner’s Office, Behind the screens – maintaining government transparency and data security in the age of messaging apps, July 2022 13 Q 75 14 Cabinet Office, Ministerial Code, May 2022, para 7.24 10 Government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd a March 2019 ministerial visit to Northern Ireland, Matt Hancock, the then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, toured Randox’s premises. He also attended a private dinner and stayed overnight at a country estate owned by Randox’s managing director. None of these events were recorded in the Department’s transparency returns relating to hospitality or ministers’ external meetings. The Department said questions around the declaration of any hospitality received were for Mr Hancock to answer.15 Mr Hancock has subsequently written to us noting that at the time, his ministerial private office had made the judgement that both the dinner and overnight stay were political events and therefore did not need to be declared. He also noted that his stay had saved the taxpayer the cost of a hotel room. He also stated that he was not involved in any testing contract negotiations.16