Decision

Summary of business appointments applications - Edwina Hart

Published 19 July 2017

© Crown copyright 2017

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hart-edwina-minister-for-economy-science-and-transport-in-the-welsh-government-acoba-recommendation/summary-of-business-appointments-applications-edwina-hart

Edwina Hart left her role as Minister for Economy, Science and Transport in the Welsh Government in May 2016.

1. Member of the Greensteel Council

Ms Hart sought the Committee’s advice about accepting a new appointment as a member of the Greensteel Council (the Council) being set up by GFG Alliance.

Ms Hart told the Committee she would be joining the Council to provide strategic advice and guidance to help the executive team roll out the Greensteel vision; though as a member of the Council, Ms Hart would not be an employee or a consultant.

The Committee took into account that, while a Minister in the Welsh Government, Ms Hart had dealings with some of the companies involved in the GFG Alliance and she was involved in matters relating to the steel industry in Wales - this included some access to commercially sensitive information regarding constituent companies of the GFG Alliance and its competitor businesses.

Having sought the views of Ms Hart’s former department, the Committee also took into account that Ms Hart had been involved in approving a loan and extension to Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon, a subsidiary of Tidal Lagoons Ltd, and that Sanjeev Gupta (of GFG Alliance) is an investor in Tidal Lagoons Ltd. However, Ms Hart was not aware of his involvement as an investor at the time. The Committee also noted that it was a commercial loan for a project that the Welsh Government is supportive of and which went through the Welsh Government’s standard due diligence processes for financial approvals.

Having considered all the facts in this case, the Committee felt a waiting period should be imposed, given the information Ms Hart previously had access to. The Committee advised that, under the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the appointment be subject to the following conditions:

  • waiting period of six months from Ms Hart’s last day in ministerial office;
  • she should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of herself or the organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to her from her time in ministerial office; and
  • for two years from Ms Hart’s last day in ministerial office she should not become personally involved in lobbying the Welsh Government on behalf of the GFG Alliance or any of its constituent companies.

The Committee sent its advice letter in October 2016

Back to top