Decision

Advice letter: Peter Jones, Trustee, Mines Advisory Group

Updated 21 March 2022

1. BUSINESS APPOINTMENT APPLICATION: Peter Jones CMG, former Chief Operating Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Mines Advisory Group

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 Mines Advisory Group (MAG) as a Trustee. 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 time in office, alongside the information and influence a former Crown servant may offer MAG.

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 of the risks presented

When considering this application, the Committee^{[footnote 2]} took into account this role as a Trustee is unpaid^{[footnote 3]}. Generally, the Committee’s experience is that the risks related to unpaid roles are limited. The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of the government by considering the real and perceived risks associated with former Crown servants using privileged access to contacts and information to the benefit of themselves or those they represent; and to mitigate the risks that individuals may make decisions or take action in office to in expectation of rewards, on leaving government. These risks are significantly limited in unpaid cases due to the lack of financial gain to the individual.

The Committee took into account that Mr Jones did not meet with MAG and while there is a contractual relationship between MAG and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Committee noted Mr Jones had no involvement in this process. Given the above and the unpaid nature of this role, the Committee considered there was no evidence to suggest Mr Jones was offered this role as a reward for actions or decisions taken in office.

While this role does have some overlap with Mr Jones’ time in office, the Committee noted there is a risk he could have access to relevant privileged information and knowledge, which could unfairly benefit this organisation. The Committee noted the nature of the organisation and the unpaid nature of this appointment limits the real and perceived risk of individuals making improper use of information they had access to while in office for their personal benefit. Mr Jones also has an ongoing duty of confidentiality.

3. The Committee’s advice

The Committee did not consider this appointment raised any particular proprietary concerns under the government’s Rules. The standard conditions below, preventing him from drawing on his privileged information and using his contacts to the unfair advantage of their new employer, will sufficiently mitigate the risks in this case.

Taking into account these factors, in accordance with the government’s Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advises this appointment with Mines Advisory Group 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 Mines Advisory Group (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in the government and/or Crown service to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage of Mines Advisory Group (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); and

• for two years from his last day in Crown service he should not undertake any work with Mines Advisory Group (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients) that involves providing advice 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.

Mr Jones must inform us as soon as he takes up employment with this organisation(s), or if it is announced that he will do so and we will publish this letter on our website.

Any failure to do so may lead to a false assumption being made about whether he has complied with the Rules.

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

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

4. Annex - Material information

4.1 The role

Mr Jones said MAG is a UK-based global humanitarian and advocacy organisation that finds, removes and destroys landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded bombs from places affected by conflict. MAG also provides education programmes, particularly for children, so that people can live, work and play safely in affected areas. The website states it works in communities to reduce the risk of armed violence through weapons and ammunition management programmes which keep guns and munitions safe and secure.

Mr Jones said MAG’s Board of Trustees is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation, with operational decision-making delegated to a full-time Chief Executive and MAG’s senior leadership team. He said the role of Trustee is to contribute to MAG’s development, by helping shape the organisation’s strategy and monitor progress, and by ensuring that the charity pursues its mission, objectives, sustainability and duty of care to its people. Trustees are responsible for providing oversight, governance and leadership to the charity in pursuit of its strategies to fulfil its charitable purposes.

Mr Jones said Trustees receive an induction programme and training and development opportunities over the course of their tenure. The Board holds four formal Board meetings a year and bi-annual Board away days. Trustees may also be required to: join a Board Committee (four meetings a year); join one or more advisory/working groups, or recruitment/disciplinary panels as required; attend occasional social events or meetings to represent MAG. Trustees are invited to undertake a field visit as part of their induction to MAG, subject to restrictions. This role is unpaid.

Mr Jones said his role will not involve direct contact with UK government ministers or FCDO officials in order to lobby for particular policy, funding or related issues. He said as a Trustee for MAG, responsibilities and contribution will be limited to:

• From time to time offering advice to MAG’s Leadership Team on the formulation of strategies and approaches to assist MAG in its engagement with UK Government, Parliamentary and other influencers to raise awareness of MAG’s work and relevant humanitarian issues;

• From time to time participating in public and private events, such as seminars, which might also include guests or participants who happen to be UK Parliamentarians and/or ministers, to discuss issues in relation to MAG’s work and wider humanitarian themes;

• From time to time offering advice on the development of relationships with key overseas parties, including national governments in countries where MAG is operational, in order to advance strategic priorities such as international co- operation and policy formulation in relation to disarmament issues;

• Offering assistance in the formulation by MAG of relevant policies to improve its work in conflict mitigation and response;

• From time to time offering advice to staff on methodologies and strategies to improve MAG’s engagement with civil society and international networks concerned with humanitarian and disarmament matters.

4.2 Dealings in office

Mr Jones confirmed he did not have any involvement with MAG while in post. He also said he did not have access to sensitive information relevant to MAG and did not meet with competitors of MAG.

4.3 Department Assessment

The FCDO said MAG has a contractual relationship with FCDO and is the contract lead on Lot2 of the Global Mine Action Program (GMAP). This contract currently runs until the end of March 2022. On FCDO GMAP Lot 1, MAG is part of a consortium led by Halo Trust (an organisation that helps war-torn communities recover, by making their land safe). In light of this contractual relationship, MAG maintains close contact with GMAP and regular communications with relevant FCDO staff. MAG also engages with other UK Government entities outside of FCDO. As part of day-to-day project management and stakeholder liaison, MAG teams across the world liaise regularly with British Embassy officials. In some countries MAG also receives funding through the cross-Whitehall Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), for example in Sri Lanka, Halo Trust are the lead on a contract where they subcontract MAG with funding from CSSF to implement a humanitarian mine action project. MAG is also working to engage with the cross-Whitehall Counter Proliferation and Arms Control Centre (CPACC), part of whose mission is closely aligned with MAG’s. It confirmed PJ had no involvement in this.

The department confirmed Mr Jones has not had access to information which could be regarded as commercially valuable or sensitive in this context. The FCDO said he has had no access to information which would give an unfair advantage. As previous FCO Director Defence and International Security 2014 – 17, he had oversight of disarmament policy, including relating to landmines, but was not involved in any operational or contractual matter relating to HMG’s interaction with MAG or other organisations involved in landmine clearance or related humanitarian support.

The FCDO has no concerns regarding this appointment and ‘Indeed [it] welcome[s] it’. It recommended this appointment be made to the standard conditions.

1. Which apply by virtue of the Civil Service Management Code, The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, The Queen’s Regulations and the Diplomatic Service Code ↩

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

3. By unpaid the Committee means that no remuneration of any kind is received for the role. Applicants must declare where it is agreed or anticipated they may receive remuneration or some other compensation at some stage in the future. ↩