Decision

Advice Letter: Patrick Vallance, Strategic Counsellor, The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

Updated 11 June 2024

1. BUSINESS APPOINTMENT APPLICATION: Sir Patrick Vallance, former Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet Office. Paid appointment with The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. 

Sir Patrick 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 taking up a role with The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) as Strategic Counsellor. 

The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of the government. The Committee has considered the risks associated with the actions and decisions made during Sir Patrick’s time in office, alongside the information and influence the former Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) may offer the TBI. The material information taken into consideration by the Committee is set out in the annex.

The Committee’s advice is not an endorsement of the appointment - it imposes a number of conditions to mitigate the potential risks to the government associated with the appointment under the Rules.

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 risk presented

Sir Patrick met with the former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair generally in the context of informing him on matters relating to global health and the impact of Covid, including the G7 100 Day Mission.  Both Sir Patrick and the Cabinet Office confirmed he made no decisions specific to the TBI in office. The Committee^{[footnote 2]} considered the risk this role could reasonably be perceived as a reward for decisions made in office is low.

The Committee noted this work has a general overlap with Sir Patrick’s time in government. There is a risk he has information which may be of interest to any think tank or research institute. The Cabinet Office noted he may have access to privileged information on the UK system but did not think this would necessarily be relevant to other governments and did not consider he was in possession of information that would likely offer the TBI an unfair advantage. It has been 4 months since he left office and he has an ongoing duty of confidentiality. 

The Committee considered there is an inherent risk of Sir Patrick’s influence and network of contacts he developed from his time in government. As such there is a risk his network and influence might be used to assist the TBI unfairly.   Sir Patirck noted the work he will be involved in may be of interest to the UK government. Where contact is instigated by government departments/officials it would not be contrary to the lobbying ban - which is imposed on all former senior officials for 2 years on leaving office.  

3. The Committee’s advice

The Committee considered the risks associated with Sir Patrick’s access to sensitive information and contacts, would be appropriately mitigated by the standard conditions below.  These seek to prevent him from drawing on his privileged information and using his contacts to the unfair advantage of the TBI.

The Committee advises, under the government’s Business Appointment Rules, that Sir Patrick’s role with The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change 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 - which extends to any other role in which Sir Patrick continues to represent the UK government and its arm’s length bodies;

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or any of its arm’s length bodies on behalf of The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (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 contacts to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); and

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not provide advice to The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (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 the UK government or any of its arm’s length bodies. .

The advice and the conditions under the government’s Business Appointment Rules relate to an individual’s previous role in government only; they are separate to rules administered by other bodies such as the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists or the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. It is an applicant’s personal responsibility to understand any other rules and regulations they may be subject to in parallel with this Committee’s advice.

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’.

Sir Patrick must inform us as soon as he takes up employment with this organisation, or if it is announced that he will do so. He must also let us know 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 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.

4. Annex - Material Information 

4.1 The role 

Sir Patrick stated that the TBI is a not for profit organisation set up to provide advice to governments globally. Its website states it helps governments and leaders ‘turn bold ideas into reality’ - the organisation does it by advising on strategy, policy and delivery, unlocking the power of technology across all three.

In his paid, part-time role as Strategic Counsellor, Sir Patrick stated his role will involve providing high-level strategic expertise and advice on science and technology; and deepening TBI’s thinking about the ‘transformative power of technology into a broader offering on the future of government worldwide’. 

He added that the primary objective is to build a practical plan for how governments must change to harness the opportunities that come from the technological revolution. This would also include plans on how to reform other critical areas of government policy. The TBI would specifically be looking for input into areas including, but not restricted to, the shape of the state, health, climate and energy and industrial policy.  

The deliverables would include:

• Co-authoring publications 
• Participating in a conference + related events 

• Providing expert steering to TBI’s policy work 

• Helping evolve TBI’s science and tech offer to governments, including advice on strategy, policy and delivery
• Support in-country advisory work, providing expertise and advice to government clients globally. 

Sir Patrick stated he expects the role to be focussed internationally but it will also include work relevant to the UK government and it is possible that government would want to discuss some of the ideas. The work is largely about producing advice and documents relating to Science and Technology for governments.

Prior to joining government, Sir Patrick held a range of roles in the science and tech sector as the former; President, Research & Development and Senior Vice President, Medicines Discovery and Development At GlaxoSmithKline, Professor of Medicine where he led the Division of Medicine at University College London; and on the Board of the UK Office for Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research (funded by the Department for Health and Social Care). 

Additionally, Sir Patrick noted he continues to represent government in the following public appointments: 

• Non Executive Director with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA); and
• Chair of the National History Museum 

4.2 Dealings in office 

Sir Patrick advised the Committee that he spoke to the former Prime Minister, Sir Tony Blair informing him on matters relating to:

• global health 
• discussing the G7 100 Day Mission (about reducing the impact of future pandemics) - including advice on speaking to the G7 leaders
• matters relating to Covid during the pandemic at his request and with the knowledge of the Cabinet Office
• the importance of Science and Technology for governments internationally.

Sir Patrick advised the Committee that he did not have access to sensitive information, nor was he involved in any decisions specific to the TBI. He added that he was involved in many discussions about life sciences in his previous role in government and whilst some of these were confidential, none of these were linked to the TBI in any way.

4.3 Departmental Assessment 

The Cabinet Office confirmed the details that Sir Patrick provided including that he made no decisions specific to the TBI and the Cabinet Office does not have a relationship with the TBI. . 

The Cabinet Office did not have concerns regarding Sir Patrick’s access to sensitive information specific to the TBI, stating that given the seniority of Sir Patrick’s role while in government, it is likely that Sir Patrick had access to some privileged information that could be of benefit to the TBI given its wide ranging areas of focus. However, this is likely to be limited given it is now four months since he left government, and given that such information is unlikely to be of substantive benefit to an internationally focussed think-tank such as the TBI. 

The Cabinet Office stated it does not have concerns about this appointment. The department added that it is a reasonable move for someone with the career history of Sir Patrick (given he has a long career in science, technology and research). It considers there is a limited risk to the integrity of government.

The Cabinet Office recommended the standard conditions.

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

2. This application for advice was considered by Andrew Cumpsty; Isabel Doverty; Sarah de Gay; The Rt Hon Lord Eric Pickles; Richard Thomas; and Mike Weir. Jonathan Baume and Rt Hon Baroness Jones of Whitchurch were unavailable. ↩