Decision

Advice letter: Peter Jones, Distinguished Fellow, RUSI

Updated 21 March 2022

1. BUSINESS APPOINTMENT APPLICATION: Peter Jones CMG, former Chief Operating Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Distinguished Fellow, Royal United Services Institute

Mr Jones has sought advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (the Committee) under the government’s Business Appointments Rules for former Crown servants (the Rules) on an appointment he wishes to take up with Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). The material information taken into consideration by the Committee is set out in the annex.

The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of the government. Under the Rules, the Committee’s remit is to consider the risks associated with the actions and decisions made during Mr Jones’ time in office, alongside the information and influence he may offer RUSI.

The Rules^{[footnote 1]} set out that Crown servants must abide by the Committee’s advice. It is an applicant’s personal responsibility to manage the propriety of any appointment. Former Crown servants are expected to uphold the highest standards of propriety and act in accordance with the 7 Principles of Public Life.

2. The Committee’s Consideration

When considering Mr Jones’ application to join RUSI as a Distinguished Fellow, the Committee [^2] took into account that Mr Jones did not have any involvement in decisions which may have affected RUSI. While Mr Jones did meet with RUSI while in office this was during his previous role and has had no contact with RUSI in his most recent role. Therefore, the Committee considered the risk he could be seen to have been offered this role as a reward for decisions made, or actions taken in office, was low.

There are also inherent risks attached to his network of contacts across the UK government/ Whitehall, especially as RUSI has an existing relationship with FDCO. Therefore, the Committee would draw Mr Jones’ attention to the below ban on lobbying and a restriction on providing advice relating to the work of the UK government, this makes it clear that he should not use his contacts within government to the unfair advantage of RUSI.

The Committee further recognised that as the former Chief Operating Officer at the FDCO he will have had access to a range of general privileged information. However, the department did not raise any concerns relating to his access to sensitive information and he is subject to an ongoing duty of confidentiality. The Committee considered the risks associated with his access to information would be sufficiently mitigated by the condition in place which prevents the use of privileged information.

Although this application has been made before Mr Jones has left office the Committee is prepared to provide advice now. However, the Committee wishes to make clear its recommendation is made on the basis of the information provided. If Mr Jones should become aware of any circumstances that would be relevant to his application and this advice, in the gap between receiving this advice and taking up this role, he should revert to the Committee for further advice.

The Committee’s advice, under the government’s Business Appointment Rules, is that this appointment with Royal United Services Institute, should 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;

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government on behalf of Royal United Services Institute (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); nor should you make use, directly or indirectly, of your contacts in the government and/or Whitehall/Ministerial contacts to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly benefit Royal United Services Institute (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); and

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not provide advice to Royal United Services Institute (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients) on the terms of, or with regard to the subject matter of, a bid with, or contract relating directly to the work of the UK government.

By ‘privileged information’ we mean official information to which a Minister or Crown servant has had access as a consequence of his or her office or employment and which has not been made publicly available. Applicants are also reminded that they may be subject to other duties of confidentiality, whether under the Official Secrets Act, the Civil Service Code or otherwise.

The Business Appointment Rules explain that the restriction on lobbying means that the former Crown servant/Minister “should not engage in communication with Government (Ministers, civil servants, including special advisers, and other relevant officials/public office holders) – wherever it takes place - with a view to influencing a Government decision, policy or contract award/grant in relation to their own interests or the interests of the organisation by which they are employed, or to whom they are contracted or with which they hold office.”

I should be grateful if you would inform us as soon as Mr Jones takes up employment with this organisation, or if it is announced that he will do so. We shall otherwise not be able to deal with any enquiries, since we do not release information about appointments that have not been taken up or announced. This could lead to a false assumption being made about whether he has complied with the Rules.

Please also inform us if Mr Jones proposes to extend or otherwise change the nature of his consultancy as, depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary for him to make a fresh application.

Once the appointment has been publicly announced or taken up, we will publish this letter on the Committee’s website, and where appropriate, refer to it in the relevant annual report.

3. Annex - Material information

3.1 The role

RUSI is a think tank with UK-registered charity status. RUSI’s website states it is ‘the world’s oldest and the UK’s leading defence and security think tank. Its mission is to inform, influence and enhance public debate on a safer and more stable world’. It focuses on ‘Military Sciences, International Security Studies, National Security and Resilience Studies, Nuclear Proliferation, Financial Crime and Defence, Industries and Society’.

Mr Jones said this is a paid, part-time role, with duties involving chairing an advisory group within RUSI, and working with a newly-appointed research fellow and the International Security Studies Director to develop projects, activities and a network focused on the key questions of European security.

Mr Jones confirmed that he does not envisage maintaining significant contact with his former department, but has highlighted the likelihood he would at some point attend events also attended by relevant FCDO staff.

3.2 Dealings in office

Mr Jones said he did have previous dealings with senior figures at RUSI in his previous role as Director for International Security (2014-17) in connection with the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review; however, he noted he had not had any contact or dealings with RUSI in his most recent role. He confirmed he had no involvement in decisions specifically affecting RUSI and had no access to sensitive information that could provide RUSI with an unfair advantage.

3.3 Department Assessment

FCDO confirmed the details given in Mr Jones’ application and stated it did not have any areas of concern. It did not not consider Mr Jones had involvement in government policy, funding decisions, or had access to relevant information which might provide him with an unfair advantage.

The department had no concerns with regards to this application and recommended the Committee apply the standard conditions.

1. This application for advice was considered by Jonathan Baume; Andrew Cumpsty; Sarah de Gay; Isabel Doverty; The Rt Hon Lord Pickles; Richard Thomas; Mike Weir; Lord Larry Whitty and Dr Susan Liautaud. ↩