Decision

Summary of business appointment applications - Rt Hon Ben Gummer

Updated 16 July 2018

Ben Gummer left his position as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General in June 2017.

1. Fellow of Practice, Blavatnik School of Government

Mr Gummer sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a position as Fellow of Practice at the Blavatnik School of Government (Blavatnik) at the University of Oxford. He explained this role would involve teaching and research on Government reform. His appointment is likely to involve half a day per week.

Mr Gummer informed the Committee that he would not lobby the UK Government. The role is not likely to include contact with his former Department or Government more generally.

The Cabinet Office explained that Blavatnik has a relationship with the UK Government – for example, it is delivering some work pro-bono through the Civil Service Leadership Academy and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has a grant agreement with Blavatnik to run the Government Outcomes Lab (which is jointly funded with equal contributions from both parties).

The Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office had no concerns about this appointment.

The Committee’s view was that this appointment could not reasonably be seen as a reward for decisions made while in office, as Mr Gummer had no contact with the organisation whilst in post. The Committee also concluded that the risk of the appointment providing Blavatnik with an unfair advantage is low given the nature of the work involved and the fact that Mr Gummer does not expect to have contact with Government. It also noted that over six months have passed since Mr Gummer left Government.

The Committee advised 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 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 the Blavatnik School of Government. Neither should he make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in Government to influence policy or secure funding on behalf of the Blavatnik School of Government.

The Committee wrote to Mr Gummer in January 2018 and he took up the appointment later the same month.

2. Senior Adviser, research project, McKinsey & Company

Mr Gummer sought the Committee’s advice about carrying out a research project for McKinsey & Company (McKinsey), looking at government transformation projects around the world.

Mr Gummer informed the Committee that he expected this would involve 6-9 months of paid work and the end product would be a body of research on the efforts of governments to transform their administrations.

He explained that he does not envisage that the project would involve any contact with Government, but that if required, other members of the team would carry this out.

The Committee concluded that this work does not give rise to propriety concerns. Although McKinsey has a contractual relationship with the UK Government, Mr Gummer had no involvement in awarding the contracts and he had no contact with the company while he was a Minister. Therefore, it cannot reasonably be said that this work is a reward for decisions made whilst he was in office.

Further, the risk that this appointment could unfairly advantage McKinsey is low. Mr Gummer’s role is confined to a discrete project; he has undertaken not to lobby Government; expects to have no contact with Government; and the Cabinet Office has confirmed that he had no access to any commercially sensitive information about competitors or unannounced government policy that might unfairly advantage the company. The Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office has no concerns about the propriety of this work.

Mr Gummer was informed that if his role with McKinsey changes from how he has described it to the Committee he should seek further advice.

The Committee advised 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 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 McKinsey & Company or its subsidiaries or 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.

The Committee wrote to Mr Gummer in November 2017 and he took up the appointment in January 2018.

Mr Gummer subsequently consulted the Committee on an amendment to his appointment with McKinsey.

The Committee concluded in its further letter of advice that the expansion of the role did not change the Committee’s assessment of the propriety of the appointment. The Committee advised that the appointment remains subject to the conditions set out in its original letter.