Decision

Advice Letter: Gavin Williamson, Speaker, Chartwell Speakers

Updated 9 November 2023

You approached the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (the Committee) under the government’s Business Appointments Rules for former ministers (the Rules) seeking advice on taking up an appointment as a speaker with the Chartwell Speakers (Chartwell). The material information taken into consideration by the Committee is set out in the annex below.

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 minister may offer the Chartwell.

The Ministerial Code sets out that ministers must abide by the Committee’s advice. It is an applicant’s personal responsibility to manage the propriety of any appointment. Former ministers of the Crown are expected to uphold the highest standards of propriety and act in accordance with the 7 Principles of Public Life.

1. The Committee’s consideration of the risks presented

The Committee^{[footnote 1]} noted that you did not meet with Chartwell and there is no relationship between your former department, the Department for Education (DfE) and Chartwell. Further, the department confirmed you did not make any decisions specific to Chartwell. Therefore, the Committee considered the risk you could be seen to have been offered this role as a reward for decisions made, or actions taken in office, was low.

2. The Committee’s advice

The Committee did not consider this appointment raises any proprietary concerns under the government’s Business Appointment Rules, however it would like to draw your attention to the conditions below. In particular, the restriction that you should not draw on privileged information available to you from your time in office. The government’s Business Appointment Rules for former ministers states that a waiting period of three months will be expected when the former minister was a member of Cabinet. As the former Secretary of State for Education, you are subject to the standard three month waiting period.

Taking into account these factors, in accordance with the government’s Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advises this appointment with Chartwell Speakers be subject to the following conditions:

• a waiting period of three months from your last day in ministerial office ;

• you should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of yourself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to you from your time in ministerial office;

• for two years from your last day in ministerial office, you should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or its arm’s length bodies on behalf of Chartwell Speakers (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); nor should you make use, directly or indirectly, of your contacts in the government and/or ministerial office to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage Chartwell Speakers (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); and

• for two years from your last day in ministerial office you should not undertake any work with Chartwell Speakers (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 or its arm’s length bodies.

The Committee also notes that in addition to the conditions imposed on this appointment, there are separate rules in place with regard to your role as a member of the House of Commons.

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 Ministerial 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.” This Rule is separate and not a replacement for the Rules in the House

You must inform us as soon as you take up employment with this organisation(s), or if it is announced that you 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 you had complied with the Rules and the Ministerial Code.

Please also inform us if you propose to extend or otherwise change the nature of your role as, depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary for you 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 it in the relevant annual report.

3. Annex - Material information

3.1 The role

You said Chartwell is a speakers agency.

You informed the Committee you wish to take up a paid, part-time role as a speaker with Chartwell. You said Chartwell would promote you to clients and online, managing any speaking enquiries received and negotiating these on your behalf. Ideally, you said, this would result in 8-10 speaking engagements per year. During this time, Chartwell would list you on its website and bring you offers for consideration.

You also informed the Committee that this role would not involve contact with government.

3.2 Dealings in office

You said you did not meet with Chartwell while in office and there is no relationship between Chartwell and DfE. You also confirmed you did not have any involvement in policy relevant to Chartwell nor did you make any decisions affecting Chartwell while in office. You also confirmed you did not have access to sensitive information relevant to Chartwell.

3.3 Department Assessment

DfE confirmed the details you provided in your application.

The department had no concerns with regards to this application.

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