Cabinet Office's Cat Little Testifies on Olly Robbins' Handling of Mandelson's Vetting Summary
Olly Robbins refused to give Mandelson vetting summary to Cabinet Office, says Cat Little
The Guardian
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Cat Little, the permanent secretary at the UK Cabinet Office, testified that Olly Robbins, the former head of the Foreign Office, refused to provide Peter Mandelson's vetting summary, which indicated he had granted Mandelson clearance against security advice. This refusal led Little to seek the summary directly from the UK Security Vetting department to comply with a Commons motion.
- 01Olly Robbins did not provide Peter Mandelson's vetting summary to the Cabinet Office.
- 02The summary revealed that Robbins granted Mandelson security clearance against security officials' advice.
- 03Cat Little had to obtain the summary directly from UK Security Vetting to fulfill a Commons motion.
- 04The Foreign Office initially raised the possibility that Mandelson might not need vetting.
- 05Little defended the time taken to disclose information, emphasizing the need to handle sensitive data appropriately.
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During a session with the Commons foreign affairs committee, Cat Little, the permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, stated that Olly Robbins, the former head of the Foreign Office, refused to provide Peter Mandelson's vetting summary. This summary indicated that Robbins had granted Mandelson security clearance despite contrary advice from security officials. Little explained that she had to go directly to the UK Security Vetting (UKSV) department to obtain the document after Robbins resisted sharing it with her department. She clarified that the Foreign Office had initially suggested that Mandelson, being a member of the House of Lords, might not require vetting. However, email exchanges revealed that the Foreign Office ultimately recognized the need for vetting. Little also addressed concerns regarding the time taken to inform Prime Minister Keir Starmer about Mandelson's initial security clearance refusal, asserting that she acted within legal and professional guidelines to handle sensitive information responsibly.
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The handling of Mandelson's vetting raises questions about security protocols and transparency within the UK government, potentially affecting public trust in government operations.
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