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Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address
23 February 2026
Lead MP
Darren Jones
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Foreign AffairsParliamentary ProcedureStandards & Ethics
Other Contributors: 22
At a Glance
Darren Jones raised concerns about lord mandelson: government response to humble address in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement regarding the Government’s response to the Humble Address laid before the House on 4 February. Work is ongoing across Departments to search for and identify material relevant to the Humble Address, expected to compile information very shortly. The Cabinet Office leads this work in cooperation with FCDO, agreeing processes with the permanent secretary to the Cabinet Office following her appointment by the Prime Minister last Thursday. Documents will be published in tranches instead of one publication date at the end. A subset is subject to an ongoing Metropolitan police investigation and cannot be released until consultation with the Met Police; this includes correspondence between No. 10 and Lord Peter Mandelson. The Government intend to publish the first tranche very shortly, in early March, but a portion remains under national security or international relations scrutiny, thus involving the Intelligence and Security Committee. For anything published, normal approaches like redaction of junior officials’ names will apply. Further material will be released subject to ongoing processes with the Met Police and ISC; updates will continue as progress is made. The Government are considering whether action in respect of the line of succession is required following Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
Alex Burghart
Con
Brentwood and Ongar
Question
Inquires about the delay in responding to the Humble Address, questioning if the change in Cabinet Secretary has caused a scoping delay or is being used as an excuse for delays. Requests confirmation on the existence of reports from September regarding Lord Mandelson’s conduct and demands transparency on whether off-diary meetings cover MoD contracts with Palantir.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the concerns raised by Alex Burghart, affirming ongoing work across Departments to compile information relevant to the Humble Address. Confirms that documents are being assessed for national security or international relations impacts and that processes are in place to ensure transparency through ISC involvement.
Chris Ward
Con
Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven
Question
Raises questions about the scope of investigations, specifically regarding MoD contracts with Palantir following off-diary meetings with Lord Mandelson. Requests clarity on whether these matters are covered within the current review.
Minister reply
Affirms ongoing work to compile information relevant to the Humble Address and confirms that all material will be assessed for publication based on established guidelines, including redactions where necessary.
Mike Wood
Con
Kingswinford and South Staffordshire
Question
I thank the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister for the statement, which we received at 3.38 pm. I gently suggest to him that the 45 minutes referred to in the ministerial code is a minimum, rather than a target... Can the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister tell us whether the scope includes the £241 million Ministry of Defence contract awarded to Palantir following Lord Mandelson’s off-diary meetings? Does it cover Global Counsel?
Minister reply
The shadow Minister asked a number of questions, which I will take in turn. He asked if the appointment of the new Cabinet Secretary had resulted in any delay or change to the process... The Government agree with the hon. Member that it is important that people are held to account for their actions, and that the victims receive justice.
Andy McDonald
Lab
Middlesbrough and Thornaby East
Question
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his statement... Many people in this place and across the country would not have touched Peter Mandelson with a bargepole.
Minister reply
I can confirm that those documents will be made available, subject, I am afraid, to the exclusion of one particular item, in which No. 10 asked Peter Mandelson a number of questions... That item will therefore have to be published at a later date, but the documents that are not subject to the Met police investigation will be published very shortly.
Tom Morrison
Lib Dem
Cheadle
Question
The victims of Jeffrey Epstein have always been, and must remain, at the forefront of our minds... Only through an independent inquiry can we uncover the truth and deliver justice for the victims.
Minister reply
In relation to investigations and inquiries, the House will know that the criminal investigation being led by the Metropolitan police takes primacy. Neither the House nor the Government would want to interfere inadvertently with that process... The hon. Member invites me to comment on some suggested reforms. As I have said to the House before, I am very happy to consider them—particularly the Liberal Democrat proposals on whistleblowing.
Janet Daby
Lab
Lewisham East
Question
I share the sentiments expressed by many Members... Will the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister confirm that the Government are providing the police with the support that they need to progress the criminal investigation?
Minister reply
I can confirm that the Government are complying, and will continue to comply, fully with the requests from the Metropolitan police, as well as from Parliament in relation to the Humble Address... My hon. Friend is right to say that it is important that we do so to bring transparency and accountability to these most egregious actions.
Roger Gale
Con
Herne Bay and Sandwich
Question
Could the Minister clarify whether or not the Cabinet Secretary’s review into Lord Mandelson will be advised by the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team? I ask for two reasons... Secondly, in the light of the question asked by the right hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington a few moments ago about the involvement of the PET in an earlier unsavoury matter, I am not sure that the House will have much confidence in that team.
Minister reply
My experience of the civil servants in the propriety and ethics team is unquestionably that they work extremely hard, comply with the civil service code and seek to ensure that the Government uphold all the ethics and integrity rules that we are subject to... I have not seen one instance or any suggestion of poor performance or conflict of interest in that team, and I wholeheartedly endorse their work.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
Question
Palantir is a client of Global Counsel, which was Peter Mandelson’s PR agency. Clearly Palantir has benefited from lucrative contracts from the Government. Will the Minister ensure that all papers associated with Palantir are published as part of this inquiry?
Minister reply
Documents that are published as part of the Humble Address will comply with the terms of the Humble Address. If there are concerns about specific Palantir contracts, those should be made to the Departments concerned.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Question
The ISC has been concerned about its independence from the Cabinet Office for years. Will the Minister please take back the message that the ISC deserves what it has asked for and wanted, which is independence?
Minister reply
We are in negotiations with the ISC on a number of issues including headcount and budget. We have increased the committee's budget available for staffing and we are considering whether those staff should be independently employed.
Matt Bishop
Lab
Forest of Dean
Question
My constituents want to know when legislation will be brought to remove peerages from disgraced peers such as Mandelson. Do we have any timescales for this legislation?
Minister reply
We are working with relevant advisers and Departments to scope the Bill, which raises constitutional questions. The last time peerages were removed was in the 1600s, so it is not something that has been done recently.
Christine Jardine
Lib Dem
Edinburgh West
Question
Does the Minister accept that we need a statutory inquiry to look closely at the links and interference of outside bodies in Government, and in the operation of government?
Minister reply
We have committed to review the current regime and rules on transparency on lobbying. Changes have been made recently regarding the register and declared interests.
Christopher Vince
Lab Co-op
Harlow
Question
Does the Minister agree that ensuring we get this process right is what our constituents deserve, and what the victims of these vile crimes deserve?
Minister reply
We want to support the Metropolitan police in their investigation. We are currently working with the ISC to ensure that the processes and capacity are in place to honour the commitments in the Humble Address.
Andrew Murrison
Con
South West Wiltshire
Question
When we get the first tranche of documents, will the Minister ensure that it is substantial and deals with two key issues: what the Prime Minister knew at the point when he appointed Mandelson; and details of the Palantir deal?
Minister reply
The first tranche of documents are subject to exclusions requested by the Metropolitan police. Subsequent tranches will come in due course after a search across Government Departments.
Brendan O'Hara
SNP
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
Question
Can the Government guarantee that the criteria for releasing the information will be exactly what this House demanded, and that the appointment of a new head of the civil service will not alter that one iota?
Minister reply
The appointment of the new Cabinet Secretary has no bearing on this process or on the Government’s compliance with the Humble Address.
Ben Spencer
Con
Runnymede and Weybridge
Question
What consideration was given to the appointment of an ambassador knowing that a foreign Government had compromising information?
Minister reply
The documents released by the US Department of Justice were not privy to until disclosures had taken place.
Tessa Munt
Lib Dem
Wells and Mendip Hills
Question
How will the Government ensure credible sanctions for Ministers who fail to whistleblow? Will they commit to protecting whistleblowers by establishing a new independent office?
Minister reply
The Government have committed to bring forward the duty of candour Bill. We are in negotiations with families, intelligence agencies and the ISC on final issues.
Katie Lam
Con
Weald of Kent
Question
Why did the Prime Minister request this vetting if any member of the public could have told the Government that Mandelson was dodgy? Do these documents reveal why his judgment is consistently poor?
Minister reply
The documents will show that the Prime Minister was lied to by Peter Mandelson.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
Question
It is very clear that the issue has been referred to the Intelligence and Security Committee and that it will look at issues of national security and international relations. I intervened in the debate on this matter; it is possible that the Chief Secretary heard that intervention. In the event of the committee discovering commercial links from Mandelson to any company, including Palantir but not excluding others, they will be pursued and will not be ignored because they do not necessarily impact immediately on the very narrow definition of national security and international relations.
Minister reply
The commission for information from Departments that is taking place has not yet resulted in those documents being shared with the Cabinet Office. If issues need to be pursued further once the documents are shared, we reserve the right to do so.
Danny Kruger
Reform
East Wiltshire
Question
I wish I had started counting at the beginning of this statement how often the Chief Secretary used the word “process”. The word that I have been listening out for and have not heard him say is “responsibility”. Does he accept that it is the job of the Prime Minister to make all these appointments without reference to backroom bureaucrats and lawyers? Should he not accept that he made a terrible mistake in respect of Peter Mandelson, do the right thing and reveal all the papers immediately?
Minister reply
It is interesting to hear from a Member on the Reform Benches that they do not agree with process or vetting. The Government are committed to both those things, because that is the way in which Government should conduct itself. As the Prime Minister has said at the Dispatch Box, had he had the information that we all have now available to him at the point of appointment, he would not have appointed Peter Mandelson. On that basis, he has apologised for any distress that that has caused for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.
Jim Allister
TUV
North Antrim
Question
If I understand the Chief Secretary correctly, he is saying that when it comes to the disclosure of documents, the Metropolitan police will have an unquestioned discretion as to whether to disclose. Moving forward, if there is no prosecution, presumably all those documents will be disclosed at that point. If there is a prosecution, one presumes that those documents that are relied on for that prosecution will not be disclosed until after the prosecution. There will be a cadre of documents that are not being relied on for the prosecution but, because they have been in the possession of the Metropolitan police, will be subject to disclosure to the defence. At the point when the Crown Prosecution Service decides that it is not relying on them, will those disclosable documents be published?
Minister reply
We do not disclose any documents that the Met police tells the Government are related to its criminal investigations until it tells us that they are available to be disclosed. That will be on the basis that they are not relevant to the prosecution or because the prosecution is being taken forward or otherwise. The last thing that anyone in the House would want is for us to undertake a process that ultimately undermines a case, should the CPS decide to bring it to the courts, when we want proper justice to be delivered in the court. That is why we are honouring the requests of the Metropolitan police in the pursuit of justice.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
The question on the lips of all of us in this House and this nation is: when will this ever end? That is an eternal question. It is understandable that the Government will stagger the documentation, but staggering must not be staging. Will the Chief Secretary once again reassure Members of this House and the people of this nation that the time for covering has long passed? Openness and allowing the information to be understood are essential components if trust is ever to be rebuilt.
Minister reply
The hon. Member is right. The Government should publish these documents as quickly as possible, not just to comply with the Humble Address from this House, but to ensure that they are made transparent. Given that I am unable to confirm to the House today how much information we will receive from Government Departments in relation to the commission for information—and, as a consequence, how long it will take for that process to conclude, for the Metropolitan police to release any documents and for the Intelligence and Security Committee to conduct its work—I thought it was better that the Government publish the documents that are available as quickly as possible, instead of waiting until the end of an undetermined period. I hope that that suits the spirit as well as the letter of the Humble Address.
Shadow Comment
Mike Wood
Shadow Comment
Thanking the Chief Secretary for the statement received at 3.38 pm, Mike Wood criticises the Government's sluggish response to the Humble Address, noting a lack of communication from the Cabinet Office regarding questions sent by his colleague. He requests clarity on whether reports exist regarding Lord Mandelson’s conduct and demands transparency about the scope of investigations, specifically concerning the MoD contract awarded to Palantir following off-diary meetings with Lord Mandelson. Wood questions potential conflicts of interest involving ISC due to its reliance on Cabinet Office civil servants. He urges for an unequivocal commitment that once police investigations conclude, all withheld pages will be published without redactions by stealth and documents held back at the request of the police are handed to ISC immediately. Additionally, he seeks a Keeling-style register listing exactly what is being kept from Parliament.
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