Olly Robbins refused to give Mandelson vetting summary to Cabinet Office, says Cat Little

In evidence to MPs, Cabinet Office top civil servant disputes that her department suggested vetting might not be needed

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Olly Robbins refused to hand Peter Mandelson’s vetting summary to the Cabinet Office, the civil servant who leads the department has said.

The summary – which would have revealed that Robbins, the now-sacked Foreign Office head, had granted Mandelson clearance against the advice of security officials – was instead provided to Cat Little by UK Security Vetting (UKSV), she told MPs.

Giving evidence to the Commons foreign affairs committee, Little, the permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, disputed the claim by Robbins that her department had suggested Mandelson might not need vetting at all.