Decision

Summary of business appointment applications – William Hague

Published 4 July 2018

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William Hague left his position as Chief People Officer at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in August 2016.

1. HR Director, Financial Conduct Authority

The Committee was asked to consider an application from William Hague, for advice on taking up an appointment as HR Director at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a full-time, paid appointment.

When considering this appointment the Committee took into account the following factors:

  • The FCA is the conduct regulator for financial services firms and financial markets in the UK and the prudential regulator for over 18,000 of those firms. It is an independent public body and is accountable to the Treasury.
  • As HR Director, Mr Hague told the Committee he would be responsible for developing, implementing and refining the HR function and the FCA’s people strategy.
  • Mr Hague explained that the role was advertised internally and the FCA also appointed Executive Search consultants to approach suitable candidates in the external marketplace. He was approached in March 2017 directly by the appointed search firm.
  • Mr Hague has confirmed that he had no official dealings with the FCA during his last two years of service, contractual or otherwise. This was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary at HMRC.
  • As Chief People Officer he was on the HMRC Board and Executive Team and therefore had indirect contact with the sector that the FCA regulates. Along with others he attended HMRC’s Stakeholder Conference as an Executive Committee member. As a corporate DG he had no meetings or dealings with representatives of the sector.
  • The Permanent Secretary at HMRC has no reservations about the appointment.
  • HMRC have suggested that it is possible that the role may involve legitimate interface with ministers and officials in the Civil Service.

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) privileged information available to him from his time in Crown service; and
  • For two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of the Financial Conduct Authority. This does not preclude routine contact on matters aligned with Government policy.

The letter containing the Committee’s advice was sent in July 2017 and the appointment was taken up in September 2017.

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