Decision

Summary of business appointment applications - Rt Hon Sir Oliver Letwin

Updated 24 January 2018

Sir Oliver Letwin left his role as Minister for Government Policy and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in July 2016

1. Senior Fellow, Legatum Institute

Sir Oliver sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment as a Senior Fellow at the Legatum Institute, an international think-tank based in London and a registered UK charity.

Sir Oliver stated that his role will be paid and involve working part-time (around one day a week). He will be working on a project to write a book dealing with ‘The World Ahead: Geopolitics in a world dominated by India and China’. The Legatum Institute will be supporting the research including: hosting seminars in London, Washington, Beijing and Dehli; and employing research assistants.

John Manzoni, Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office raised no concerns about this appointment.

The Committee concluded there was little risk this role could be seen as a reward related to Sir Oliver’s time in office given the nature of the role; that he had no official dealings with the organisation whilst in office; and with the Cabinet Office’s confirmation that it has no concerns under the Government’s Business Appointment Rules.

As Sir Oliver does not expect to have any contact with Government in this role; and there are no clear ‘competitors’, the Committee considered there was little risk of him affording the Legatum Institute an unfair advantage, bearing in mind the restrictions below. In addition, the Committee noted the separate rules that are in place around his activities in Parliament.

Taking into account the specific facts in this case, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advised 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;
• 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 Legatum Institute.

Mark Addison recused himself from this application.

The Committee wrote to Sir Oliver in August 2017 and he took up the appointment in January 2018.

2. Senior Adviser, The Faraday Institution

Sir Oliver sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment as a Senior Adviser to the Faraday Institution, a new body that is being established to coordinate the research and development of battery technologies in the UK.

Sir Oliver’s role is likely to involve one day per month and be paid.

The Institution is being funded by the UK Government via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and will be formed by a consortium of UK universities.

As Senior Adviser, Sir Oliver would be required to offer advice to the Board of the Institution on its strategies and methods, in order to help ensure that it can fulfil its aim of promoting a coordinated approach to the development and manufacture of batteries in the UK.

John Manzoni, Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office was consulted about this appointment and raised no concerns from his Department’s perspective.

The Committee also sought information from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). BEIS said their view is that it would be in the public interest for Sir Oliver to take up this role, given his experience in this area and understanding of the policy objectives in this area, at BEIS.

When considering this application the Committee noted that the Institution has been set up to deliver a Government aim - to help develop the UK as a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of electric batteries. The funding for the Institution is part of a £246 million government investment in battery technology, announced by Business Secretary, Greg Clark, in July 2017.

The Committee took into account that Sir Oliver was involved in this area of policy while in Government. It observed that often a connection between a former Minister’s responsibilities in office and a proposed role outside Government can raise concerns under the Business Appointment Rules. However, this is a case where that connection would appear to be of benefit to the delivery of the Government’s objectives and the Committee has placed weight on the view of BEIS that it would be in the public interest for him to take up this position.

Under the Business Appointment Rules the Committee must consider whether there is the potential for an organisation to be awarded an unfair advantage through employing a former Minister. Given the nature of the organisation Sir Oliver will be working for and its purpose, the Committee does not consider that this risk arises in this case.

The Committee considered that the appointment could not reasonably be seen as a reward for decisions made while in office given that over 14 months have passed since Sir Oliver left Government; the successful consortium for the Institution was only announced in October 2017; and Sir Oliver was not responsible for the funding that led to the Institution.

Taking into account the specific facts in this case, in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advised 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;
• 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 Faraday Institution.

Mark Addison recused himself from this application.

The Committee wrote to Sir Oliver in October 2017 and he took up the appointment in January 2018.

3. Chair, Red Tape Initiative

Sir Oliver sought the Committee’s advice about becoming Chair of a new think-tank formed by him called the Red Tape Initiative (RTI).

The Committee noted that the purpose of the RTI is to identify opportunities for repealing aspects of EU-derived regulation following the UK’s decision to leave the EU. The RTI’s proposals will be published for public debate and promoted on a non-partisan basis within Parliament. Sir Oliver’s role as Chair will be to have general oversight of the work of the paid staff of the RTI and to meet with a wide range of business people and politicians to identify deregulatory measures. The role will be unpaid.

When considering this application the Committee took into account that Sir Oliver would present the recommendations for deregulation identified by the RTI to Ministers and Parliamentarians and that he expected to have discussions with officials about the feasibility of particular potential deregulatory measures identified by the RTI.

The Committee also took into account that Sir Oliver’s former Department had no concerns about the appointment.

Taking into account the specific facts in this case in accordance with the Government’s Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advised the appointment be subject to the following conditions:

• he should not draw on any privileged information available to him from his time in ministerial office; 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 Red Tape Initiative (RTI). This is not intended to prevent him from submitting recommendations to Government pursuant to his role as Chair and having discussions with officials about the feasibility of particular potential deregulatory measures identified by the RTI. However, the Committee would expect him to refrain from making use, directly or indirectly, of privileged access derived from his role as a Minister to influence Government policy on behalf of the RTI. The Committee also notes that with regard to his activities in Parliament he is subject to other rules.

The Committee sent its advice letter to Sir Oliver in November 2016 and the role was announced in April 2017.