Comment

An exchange of letters between the IfG and the government

The government has responded to the IfG's request to clarify rules on civil servants speaking in public.

22 OCT 2025

Hannah White

The IfG has been seeking clarification from the government on its guidance to civil servants speaking in public

In July, I wrote a letter to Sir Chris Wormald, the cabinet secretary, and Georgia Gould, then a minister at the Cabinet Office, to raise our concerns about "the chilling effect" that new government guidance on civil servants speaking in public was having on external engagement by civil servants, and the damage it risks doing to the effectiveness of government.

On 14 October, I received a reply from Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister for the Cabinet Office, who set out the government's position and made clear that the guidance had been "clarified" and that "civil servants are able to take part in stakeholder engagement and sector engagement activity."

You can read a copy of the IfG's letter to the cabinet secretary, along with the government's response, below (PDF).