Decision

Summary of business appointments applications - Jo Swinson

Updated 20 April 2017

Jo Swinson left her role as Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs in May 2015.

1. Independent Consultant

Ms Swinson sought permission to set up as an independent consultant, to undertake work involving public speaking engagements as well as advising and delivering projects to assist organisations to improve their workplace culture and practices in order to unlock potential, especially from women and under-represented groups.

The Committee saw no reason why she should not establish this consultancy, subject to the following conditions:

• Ms Swinson should not draw on privileged information available to her from her time in Government;

• for two years from her last day in ministerial office, Ms Swinson should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of any of her clients or those she advises; and

• regarding her independent consultancy, once she has received approval to set up as an independent consultant, Ms Swinson must seek confirmation from the Committee directly that each subsequent individual commission is permissible under the terms of her consultancy before taking it up. If, after enquiry, the Committee takes the view that a commission is, or may be, outside the terms of the consultancy he will be expected to submit a fresh application.

The Committee wrote its advice letter to Ms Swinson in August 2015 and the first of her commissions was announced in October 2015.

Since establishing the consultancy, the following commissions have been announced:

• Women of the World Festival Advisory Committee (October 2015)
• Everywoman (November 2015)
• The Parliament Project (November 2015)
• Northern Power Women Awards (November 2015)
• Chartwell Speaking Agency
• DBA Speakers
• CMI Women in Leadership (February 2016)
• CIPD (March 2016)
• Eversheds and IPA (June 2016)
• University College London and InclusIQ (October 2016
• Portland Communications (October 2016)
• Atlas Partners and Blueprint for Better Business (January 2017)

Lord German recused himself from these cases.

2. Advisory Board Member, Red Tape Initiative

Jo Swinson sought the Committee’s advice about becoming a member of the advisory board of 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. The role of the advisory board will be to provide views on what may be sensible and acceptable deregulatory measures. The role will be unpaid.

When considering the application, the Committee took into account that the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy 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:

• she should not draw on any privileged information available to her from her time in ministerial office; and
• for two years from her last day in ministerial office, she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of the Red Tape Initiative.

The Committee sent its advice letter to Ms Swinson in December 2016 and the role was announced in April 2017.

Lord German recused himself from this case.

3. Advisory Committee, Advertising Standards Agency

Ms Swinson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a part-time, paid appointment with the ASA sitting on the Advertising Advisory Committee overseeing the Broadcast Code of Practice.

When considering this application, the Committee took into account that Ms Swinson had occasional contact with ASA as a stakeholder through BIS, when carrying out work on payday lending, and at the Government Equalities Office, where she worked on body image and the portrayal of women in advertising. However, they also took into account that her former departments, BIS and GEO, have no propriety concerns with this application, and that the role will not involve any lobbying of Government.

The Committee advised Ms Swinson that it saw no reason why she should not take up this appointment, subject to the following conditions:

• she should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of herself or the organisations or persons to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to her in her time as a Minister; and
• for two years from her last day in ministerial office, she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of ASA, its partners or its clients.

The Committee wrote its advice letter to Ms Swinson in October 2015 and she took up the appointment in January 2016.

Lord German recused himself from this case.

4. Panel Member, Research Board, BISL

Jo Swinson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up a paid, part-time appointment with BISL Ltd, which operates under the trading name of Comparethemarket.com, as a Panel Member on the board of a research institute.

When considering this application, the Committee took into account that she did not have any official dealings with Comparethemarket.com while in ministerial office. They also noted that she had some involvement in the midata project, and attended related meetings about encouraging consumer switching. However, these were in the normal course of her ministerial duties and her former department did not have any concerns regarding the propriety of this appointment.

The Committee advised Ms Swinson that it saw no reason why she should not take up this appointment, subject to the following conditions:

• She should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of herself or the organisations or persons to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to her in her time as a Minister; and
• For two years from her last day in ministerial office she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of BISL Ltd (Comparethemarket.com), its parent company or any of its subsidiaries, customers and clients.

The Committee wrote its advice letter to Ms Swinson in October 2015, and she took up the appointment in November 2015.

Lord German recused himself from this case.

5. Chair, Maternity Action

Jo Swinson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an unpaid, part-time appointment as Chair of the charity Maternity Action.

When considering this application, the Committee took into account she had some dealings with Maternity Action in her time as a Minister and that Maternity Action maintains an active relationship with her former departments. However, her former departments stated that they had no propriety concerns with this appointment, and the Committee noted that it was an unpaid position.

The Committee advised Ms Swinson that it saw no reason why she should not take up this appointment, subject to the following conditions:

• she should not draw on privileged information available to her from her time in Government; and
• for two years from her last day in ministerial office, she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Maternity Action.

The Committee wrote its advice letter to Ms Swinson in August 2015, and she took up the appointment in October 2015.

Lord German recused himself from this case.

6. Non-Executive Director, Clear Returns

Ms Swinson sought permission to accept a part-time appointment as a Non-Executive Director at Clear Returns.

When considering this application, the Committee took into account that Ms Swinson had no previous dealings with Clear Returns. The Committee did note that there is a link between IBM and Clear Returns and that, as a Minister, she had a relationship management role with IBM. The Committee further noted that Innovate UK, a BIS sponsored Non-Departmental Public Body, awarded Clear Returns a grant, but that this decision was made independently of Ministers. They also took into account that her former departments have no propriety concerns regarding this appointment.

The Committee advised Ms Swinson that it saw no reason why she should not take up this appointment, subject to the following conditions:

• she should not draw on privileged information available to her from from her time in Government; and
• for two years from her last day in ministerial office, she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of Clear Returns, its partners, or its clients.

Lord German recused himself from this case.

The Committee wrote its advice letter to Ms Swinson in September 2015 and the appointment was announced that month.