Transparency data

Cabinet Office Publication of Special Adviser Interests 2023-2024 (HTML)

Published 29 August 2024

Introduction

As with all civil servants, special advisers are required to ensure that no conflict arises, or could be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise.

In line with the current Declaration of Interests Policy for special advisers, interests must be declared to their Permanent Secretary in the appointing department for consideration. The personal information which special advisers disclose to the Permanent Secretary is treated in confidence. All special advisers have submitted a completed declaration of interests form, including nil returns in instances where there was no actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest. Where relevant to the role, and to help manage a perception of conflict or to explain how a conflict is being managed, interests will be published on an annual basis in, or alongside, the relevant departmental Annual Report and Accounts. This provides a balance between transparency and privacy.

The declared interests of all special advisers employed within the Cabinet Office departmental boundary (i.e. Cabinet Office, Number 10 and the offices of the Leaders of the Houses) during the period 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024, including those who left the Department during the period, have been considered for publication. As this period ended before the 2024 UK General Election, the special advisers and their interests included for consideration in this report are those of the previous administration, and information relates to and was collated prior to the election.

The Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary has considered these returns and deemed that the following relevant interests should be made public. Interests for special advisers outside of the Cabinet Office departmental boundary are published by the relevant department.

Name	Interest
Amber de Botton (to September 2023)	Ms de Botton’s husband is the CEO of The Careers and Enterprise Company. Ms de Botton is recused from involvement in matters that could directly or indirectly benefit The Careers and Enterprise Company.
Dan O’Neil	Mr O’Neill holds a paid role at CCHQ. Mr O’Neill’s work as a special adviser is a part-time contract and his work for CCHQ is performed outside these hours.
Douglas McNeill	Mr. McNeill holds an unpaid role as a trustee of Crown Court Church, Covent Garden [until November 2023].
Eleanor Shawcross	Ms Shawcross’ father is the Commissioner for Public Appointments and the Independent Reviewer of Prevent. Ms Shawcross is recused from involvement in matters relating to public appointments or to Prevent. Ms Shawcross’ husband is the CEO of Next PLC. Ms Shawcross is recused from discussions relating to taxation, subsidies or regulation of high street retailers, and of retail sectors in which Next PLC operates. Ms Shawcross is recused from involvement in nuclear fusion energy policy matters.
Elena Narozanski (to December 2023)	Ms Narozanski holds an unpaid role as a Non-Executive Director at the Football Foundation. The Football Foundation receives funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Ms Narozanski undertakes paid consultancy work for CCHQ. Her work as a Special Adviser is a part-time contract and her consultancy work is performed outside these hours.
Eve Lugg	Ms Lugg holds an unpaid role as Head of Business Engagement at Digital Tories.
Fergus Cameron Watt (to November 2023)	Mr Cameron Watt is recused from involvement in discussions or matters relating to Bain & Co.
Franck Petitgas	Mr Petitgas is recused from involvement in pharmaceutical policy matters. Mr Petitgas is an honorary trustee of the Tate Foundation, and trustee of Glyndebourne [until December 2023], the Goodwood Art Foundation and the Courtauld Institute of Art (where he is also Deputy Chair of Governors) and President of the UK chapter of the Legion d’Honneur. Mr Petitgas is recused from discussions relating to bids for Government funding in respect of these organisations, and from involvement in arts policy matters. Mr Petitgas is also recused from matters relating to Morgan Stanley. Mr Petitgas is the Owner and Director of the Manor of Bosham and the Hundred Ltd. This directorship is unpaid.
Jamie Njoku-Goodwin	Mr Njoku-Goodwin is recused from policy matters affecting the UK music industry. Mr Njoku-Goodwin is a board member of London Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr Njoku-Goodwin is a trustee of Britten Pears Arts.
John Bew	Mr Bew’s father is Chair of the House of Lords Appointment Commission [tenure until October 2023]. Mr Bew is on secondment from King’s College London where he is a Professor in History and Foreign Policy. Mr Bew delivered a number of lectures at King’s College London [October 2023 - March 2024]. During this time, Mr Bew’s work as a special adviser is a part-time contract and this work for King’s College London is performed outside these hours. Mr Bew is a member of the European Council of Foreign Relations
Lisa Lovering	Ms Lovering holds a paid role as an Assistant to the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP in his capacity as a private individual. Ms Lovering’s work as a Special Adviser is a part-time contract and her work as an Assistant to the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP is performed outside these hours.
Mark Mclelland	Mr McClelland is a local councillor for Wiltshire Council. Mr McClelland holds a paid role as a Senior Parliamentary Assistant to the Rt Hon John Glen MP. Mr McClelland’s work as a special adviser is a part-time contract and his work as Senior Parliamentary Assistant to the Rt Hon John Glen MP is performed outside these hours.
Myles Stacey	Mr Stacey is a visiting fellow at Judge Business School, Cambridge University. This position is unpaid.
Rupert Oldham-Reid	Mr Oldham-Reid holds an unpaid role as a Non-Executive Director at ANA Treatment Centres Ltd. Mr Oldham-Reid held an unpaid role as Director of Odysseus Advisory Ltd. This company remained active until it was dissolved in June 2023. During this period, Mr Oldham-Reid did not play an active role in the affairs of this organisation.
Sophia Falkner	Ms Falkner’s mother is the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Ms Falkner is recused from involvement in matters relating to the EHRC as a body, and from involvement in meetings concerning the EHRC.
Tim Pitt	Mr Pitt is recused from matters relating directly to Flint Global or to previous clients for one year prior to being employed by the government.
Tom D’Silva	Mr D’Silva holds unpaid role as Director of Avon Strategic Communications. He does not play an active role in the affairs of this organisation.
Will Tanner	Mr Tanner’s wife holds a role as Head of Communications at the British Museum. Mr Tanner is recused from discussions that relate to the British Museum.