To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he issues to government departments on best practice to adopt when approaching (a) independent charities and (b) non-departmental public bodies for funding for departmental programmes or policies.

The Cabinet Office has cross government responsibility for the national Compact, which is the agreement between government and the voluntary and community sector (which includes independent charities). The Compact provides a framework for ways of working including the approach to funding relationships. Departments are expected to follow the principles set out in Managing Public Money