Matt Hancock 'affair': Minister asks for office to be swept for cameras

The justice secretary says he has asked for his office to be swept for “unauthorised devices” following the recording and leaking of footage of Matt Hancock from within the Department of Health and Social Care.

Robert Buckland said he could not be sure whether there are cameras in his office or not, and that he asked officials on Friday to investigate.

“I’ve never seen any camera facilities. I know there is CCTV in the building for obvious security reasons, but I am sure that many of my colleagues will be asking the same question and making sure that the offices are swept just in case there are unauthorised devices in there that could be a national security breach,” the justice secretary said.

“I think that is the sensible thing to do.”

Quizzed on when he asked whether there are cameras in his office, Mr Buckland added: “I asked on Friday, so I expect to have those answers later today.”

Ministers should have a “safe space” to work in, he continued,

Mr Buckland told Sky News he is “confident” that “due process” was followed in the appointment of Gina Coladangelo to a £15,000 role on the Department of Health board.

“Everything that I understand so far leads me to believe due process was followed in the appointment of this person and any declarations that should’ve been made were made,” he said.

“I have information that suggests due process was followed and I have no reason to doubt or dispute that.”

But the justice secretary added that he was not sure when Mr Hancock and Ms Coladangelo’s relationship began.

“I’m confident that due process was followed and that declarations were made, as to when the relationship began I’m afraid I don’t know,” he told Sky News.

The justice secretary also said there was an “understandable groundswell of concern” surrounding the situation and that Mr Hancock was “right” to resign from his post on Saturday.

Mr Buckland told Sky News “the circumstances became overwhelmingly clear that credibility was at stake”.

And he noted that ministers should be using government emails as the former health secretary faces scrutiny for using a private Gmail account for official business.

“We should use Government emails, I think that’s very clear,” he said.

“I think the Cabinet Office, if they’re asked to look at this, they probably will be, will need to satisfy themselves that if that was the case then the material is available.”

Labour has said the reported use of emails by Mr Hancock and health minister Lord Bethell to conduct government work should be investigated.

The justice secretary’s comments come amid the continued controversy surrounding Mr Hancock and his alleged affair with a close friend and aid Ms Coladangelo.

Ms Coladangelo was pictured kissing Mr Hancock apparently inside the Department of Health building in May, in breach of COVID guidance at the time.

The former lobbyist – who is married to the founder of fashion brand Oliver Bonas – was initially taken on as an unpaid adviser at the department on a six-month contract in March 2020, before being made a non-executive director.

It was reported in November that Mr Hancock had failed to declare he had appointed Ms Coladangelo before giving her a £15,000-a-year role on the board.

Sky News revealed on Friday that Roberto Coladangelo works at Partnering Health Limited (PHL Group), a specialist in the provision of urgent and primary care services to NHS patients.

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