Decision

Summary of business appointment applications - James Duddridge

Updated 30 January 2018

James Duddridge MP left his position as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office in July 2016.

1. Advisor, TLG Capital Investments Ltd

Mr Duddridge sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a position as an advisor at TLG Capital Investments Ltd.

He explained he would provide broad advice to the firm on raising money, investing the monies in projects and helping TLG Capital to maximise the value of existing and future investments.

He noted that this was a paid role, involving one day per month and was not likely to include any contact or dealings with the UK Government.

He said that he had no contact with TLG Capital during his last two years in office.

Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office nor the Department for International Trade have a relationship with TLG Capital and have expressed no reservations about Mr Duddridge taking up the role.

As the role may potentially involve networking and having contact with senior officials in Africa, the Committee considered whether there was a risk that TLG Capital might gain an unfair advantage as a result of Mr Duddridge’s time in office. It concluded that this risk was low, given that whilst he would have met many people across most of the 54 African countries whilst in office, most contact would have been brief - with the long-term relationships being held at Ambassador level. Further, he explained that he had no plans to contact people who he worked with to raise money or identify projects (although he may come into contact with them on visits or to get a background understanding of the current market place).

The Committee considered that the risk of the appointment being perceived as a reward is minimal given that he had no official dealings with TLG while in office and the FCO has no relationship with the company.

The Committee felt that it was also relevant to the application that prior to becoming a Minister, Mr Duddridge worked as a banker with businesses in Africa and that over a year has passed since he left Ministerial office.

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

• that he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him from his time in Ministerial office; and
• for two years from his last day in Ministerial office, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of TLG Capital Investments Ltd, nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of his Government and/or Crown service contacts to influence policy or secure business on their behalf.

The Committee wrote to Mr Duddridge in September 2017 and he took up the appointment in December 2017.

2. Advisor, Brand Communications Group

James Duddridge sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a paid, part-time appointment as an Advisor to Brand Communications Group (BCG), a company that focuses on building and promoting African brands.

Mr Duddridge explained that his role would be to advise the directors at BCG on doing business in Africa, as well as speaking at conferences.

When considering this application the Committee noted that during his time as a Minister Mr Duddridge had no contact with BCG, or any of its competitors. The Committee also took into account that his former department, the FCO, has no concerns about this appointment.

Taking into account the specific facts in this case, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advised the appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should not draw on any privileged information available to him as a Minister; and
• for two years from his last day in ministerial office he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Brand Communications Group, its partners or clients or make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government and/ or Crown service to influence policy or secure business on behalf of Brand Communications Group and its clients.

The Committee wrote its advice letter to Mr Duddridge in December 2016 and he took up the role in January 2017.