Decision

Summary of business appointments applications - Sir Martin Donnelly

Updated 20 November 2018

Sir Martin Donnelly left his role as Permanent Secretary at the Department of International Trade in April 2017.

1. Trustee, Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies

Sir Martin Donnelly sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment as a Trustee at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

The letter containing the Committee’s consideration and the conditions imposed on the appointment was sent in November 2018 and the appointment commenced the same month.

2. Trustee, Gingerbread

The Committee was asked to consider an application for advice on Sir Martin taking up a position as a trustee at Gingerbread, a charity that provides expert advice, practical support and campaign for single parent families.

The Committee noted that this role is unpaid. It also took into account that Sir Martin had no official dealings with Gingerbread whilst he was in office; and that no concerns have been raised about this appointment by his former Department. Therefore, there is little risk of this appointment being perceived as a reward.

The Committee considered that the risk of Gingerbread gaining an unfair advantage as a result of Sir Martin’s appointment is low. Cabinet Office confirmed he did not have access to any sensitive information that could benefit the charity. Further, Sir Martin stated he does not expect to have contact with Government in this role.

The Prime Minister accepted the Committee’s advice that, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, this appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; and

• for two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Gingerbread, nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/or Crown service to influence policy or secure funding on behalf of Gingerbread.

Baroness Liddell recused herself from this case.

The letter containing the Committee’s advice was sent in January 2018 and the appointment was announced later the same month.

3. Adviser, Llewellyn Consulting

The Committee was asked to consider an application for advice on Sir Martin taking up a position as an Adviser to Llewellyn Consulting. The role will involve 1-2 days per month.

Sir Martin has explained that his duties will involve providing advice on macroeconomic and sectorial analyses, international economic trends, and the impact of globalisation on business sectors. He will also participate in economic seminars organised for clients. He would not expect to deal with Government directly in this role and has made this clear to the Consultancy.

The Committee concluded that this application does not appear to give rise to any propriety concerns. There is no objective reason for the appointment to be perceived as a reward for decisions made while in office as Sir Martin had only minimal contact with Llewellyn Consulting over his last two years in service and was not involved in any policy or contractual decisions that may have affected the company.

It would appear that the risk of Sir Martin’s appointment affording Llewellyn Consulting an unfair advantage is low. Cabinet Office has confirmed that he would not have had access to commercially sensitive information that could benefit his proposed employer. Further, Sir Martin does not intend to have contact with Government other than by potentially attending some of the same economic seminars as government representatives.

The Prime Minister accepted the Committee’s advice that this appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the organisation to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown Service;

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not undertake any work for Llewellyn Consulting or its clients that involves providing advice on the terms of, or with regard to the subject matter of, a bid or contract relating directly to the UK Government, or its trade negotiations; and

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, Sir Martin should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Llewellyn Consulting or its clients or make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/or Crown service to influence policy or secure business on their behalf.

Baroness Liddell recused herself from this case.

The letter containing the Committee’s advice was sent in January 2018 and the appointment was taken up later that month.

4. Senior Adviser, Teneo

Sir Martin sought advice on taking up an appointment as Senior Adviser at Teneo, a paid and part-time role. He will be supporting the organisation in providing consulting services, including risk management, to firms (with an international focus) at Chief Executive level.

The Committee noted Sir Martin had no contact with Teneo whilst he was in office. He explained that he had some contact with high level contacts with UK based businesses whilst in office, but that they were not contract related. Further, his dealings with accountancy and consultancy firms did not include engaging with international consultancies, or with their commercial activities in the UK. As such, the Committee considered there is no evidence to suggest the role could reasonably perceived as a reward.

Sir Martin notes that his role will be internationally focussed and he does not expect to have contact with the UK Government. In addition, Sir Martin has explicitly stated that he will not lobby Government on behalf of Teneo (and has advised Teneo that he will be precluded from doing so). The Department has also confirmed that Sir Martin has no commercially sensitive information about Teneo or its competitors. As such, the risk that Teneo could potentially gain an unfair advantage as a result of Sir Martin’s role is considered low. However, the Committee recognises Sir Martin has spent a number of years in senior positions within Government and has made it clear in the conditions imposed that any use of the contacts he has in Government, to the of advantage Teneo, would be inappropriate.

The Prime Minister accepted the Committee’s advice that, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; and

• for two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Teneo Holdings International, its parent company, partners or clients. Nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/or Crown service to influence policy or secure business on behalf of Teneo Holdings International, its parent company, partners or clients.

Baroness Liddell recused herself from this case.

The letter containing the Committee’s advice was sent in October 2017 and the appointment was announced in November 2017.

5. Visiting Academic, Hertford College, University of Oxford

The Committee was asked to consider an application in relation to Sir Martin taking up an appointment as a Visiting Academic (2017-18). The role would be unpaid and part-time. He would undertake academic research into issues of trust in Government in a globalised economy; and organise seminars with international participants, comparing formal structures of political neutrality, technical competence and the ethics of public service.

Whilst the Committee noted Sir Martin had broad contact with the higher education sector whilst he was Permanent Secretary at BIS, this was now over a year ago and therefore it is likely that Government policy relating to this sector has moved on, not least because of the change in administration following the recent General Election. Further, Sir Martin confirmed that he had no official dealings with the University of Oxford, specifically. The Committee considered there is no evidence to suggest the role could reasonably perceived as a reward, especially as it is unpaid.

As confirmed by DIT, Sir Martin stated that he has no commercially sensitive information about the University or its competitors and that he does not expect to have contact with Government going forward. As such, the risk that the University could potentially gain an unfair advantage as a result of Sir Martin’s role is very low.

The Prime Minister accepted the Committee’s advice that, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; and

• for two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Hertford College, the University of Oxford or its students, or make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/or Crown service to influence policy or secure funding on behalf of Hertford College, the University of Oxford or its students.

Baroness Liddell recused herself from this case.

The letter containing the Committee’s advice was sent in August 2017, following which the appointment was taken up.

6. Board Member, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts

Sir Martin Donnelly, sought the Committee’s advice in relation to an unpaid role as a board member at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), involving 6 to 8 days a year. He said the role will involve advising RADA on its commercial contracts for business training (with proceeds going to its charitable work).

Sir Martin advised the Committee that the role would not involve lobbying of Government. The Committee also took into account that RADA is a small supplier of some training courses to Government and that some staff in the Departments for which he had responsibility attended these courses.

The Committee also sought the views of his former department (the Department for International Trade) which has no concerns about the appointment.

The Prime Minister accepted the Committee’s advice that, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, this appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• a waiting period of three months from his last day in Crown Service;
• that he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the organisations to which this advice refers) privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; and
• that for two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of RADA or make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/or Crown service to influence policy or secure business on behalf of RADA.

In addition, the Committee noted that it was content for Sir Martin to attend the June board meeting on an informal basis, as an observer, prior to the expiry of the waiting period and in advance of his taking up the role.

Baroness Liddell recused herself from this case.

The Committee wrote its advice letter in March 2017 and Sir Martin took up the post in July (having attended the board meeting in June).

7. Independent consultancy

Sir Martin sought the Committee’s advice about establishing an independent consultancy.

The consultancy, known as ‘MD Global Strategy’, will focus on Global Strategy, including public sector reform; and on assisting fast growing tech and digital firms to build global networks for trade and innovation.

When considering this application, the Committee noted Sir Martin’s assurance that he would not be involved in consulting or lobbying UK government on behalf of clients. They also took into account the view of Sir Martin’s former department which had no concerns about him setting up an independent consultancy as described.

The Prime Minister accepted the Committee’s advice that, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should observe a waiting period of three months from his last day in Crown service;

• for 12 months from his last day in Crown service, he should not undertake any work as a consultant that involves providing advice to any company or organisation on the terms of, or with regard to the subject matter of, a bid or contract relating directly to the UK Government, or its trade negotiations;

• he should not draw on privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service;

• for two years from his last day in service, Sir Martin should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of any of his clients or those he advises or make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/or Crown service to influence policy or secure business on behalf of any of his clients or those he advises; and

• for two years from his last day of service, before accepting any new commission he should apply to the Committee for confirmation that it is acceptable under the terms of the consultancy before taking it up.

Baroness Liddell recused herself from this case.

The advice letter was sent in February 2017.

Sir Martin subsequently sought advice on accepting a commission with City of London Corporation. The letter containing the Committee’s advice was sent in May 2018 and the commission was taken up in June 2018.