Transparency data

Cabinet Office Publication of Special Adviser Interests 2021-2022 (HTML)

Published 15 July 2022

Introduction

As with all civil servants, special advisers 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 those employed in the period 1 April 2021 - 31 March 2022 have been considered for publication, including those who have since left their Department. The relevant Permanent Secretary in the Cabinet Office has considered these returns and deemed that the following relevant interests should be made public for special advisers working within the Cabinet Office departmental boundary (i.e. Cabinet Office, Number 10 and the offices of the Leaders of the Houses).

Name	Interest
Alex Hickman	Mr Hickman holds unpaid roles as Chairman and Director of the African Mountain Research Foundation. Mr Hickman holds an unpaid role as Director of A Future Without Rubbish. He does not play an active role in the affairs of the organisation.
Allegra Stratton (to Jan 2022)	Ms Stratton’s husband is a journalist with The Spectator and The Times.
Andrew Parsons	Mr Parsons holds a paid role as Company Director at Parsons Media Ltd. Mr Parsons held a paid role as Company Director at I-Images Ltd and stepped down from this role in March 2021. Mr Parsons’ work as a special adviser is a part-time contract and the work for these companies is performed outside these hours. Mr Parsons may not use government information for the benefit of his outside roles.
Caroline Newton	Interest
Name	Mrs Newton is a local councillor for the South Oxfordshire District Council. Mrs Newton holds an unpaid role as Chair of Trustees of The Friends of Townlands Hospital, Henley-on-Thames.
David Canzini	Mr Canzini is recused from involvement in aerospace policy matters until February 2024 and from involvement in public health policy matters. Mr Canzini will also recuse himself from matters relating to clients from previous roles for two years prior to being employed by the Government.
Fred de Fossard	Mr DeFossard holds a role as Director of DeFossard Communications. During his time as a special adviser this directorship is unpaid.
Guto Harri	Mr Harri is recused from involvement in broadband and telecommunications policy matters until February 2024. Mr Harri will also recuse himself from matters relating to clients from previous roles for two years prior to being employed by the Government.
John Bew	Mr Bew’s father is Chair of the House of Lords Appointment Commission. Mr Bew is on secondment from King’s College London where he holds a paid role as a Professor in History and Foreign Policy.
Jonathan Hellewell (to January 2022)	Mr Hellewell holds a voluntary position as a member of the Diocesan Synod.
Radomir Tylecote	Mr Tylecote is a fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs. Mr Tylecote will recuse himself from any involvement in the publication of papers and work for the Institute whilst working in government.
Simone Finn	Baroness Finn’s interests are published on the House of Lords register of interests. Baroness Finn has undertaken not to have any involvement in, or association with, the activities of Francis Maude Associates LLP or FMAP Ltd.
Will Warr	Mr Warr has share options in Oxford Nanoimaging. Mr Warr is recused from work on matters or in ways that could directly or indirectly benefit Oxford Nanoimaging.