Home affairsLetter from Sir Ian Andrews, Chair, Serious Organised Crime Agency, to the Chair of the Committee, 1 August 2013

CHAIRMANSHIP OF SOCA

The Home Secretary announced this afternoon that she has accepted my resignation as Chair of the SOCA Board and I wanted the Committee to understand the circumstances.

In my letter of 23 July, I explained why I did not believe that there had been any conflict of interest when I gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 2 July. I still believe this to be the case. I have subsequently realised, however, that I had failed to register, as I am obliged to do under the SOCA Code, that I became a Director of Abis Partnership Ltd—the company through which I provide management consultancy services to clients whom I did declare—in July 2012, either at the time or subsequently in my formal Registration of Director’s interests to support SOCA’s Annual Report and Accounts. I have no explanation for this other than it was both a genuine and unintentional oversight but it is nonetheless inexcusable: and the responsibility is mine alone.

My original four year appointment expires at the end of this week and was due to be extended until October to cover the remaining life of SOCA. Given the above, and the fact that I have failed to maintain the standard of integrity to be expected of the head of a public body, let alone one charged with law enforcement, I believe that I had no alternative but to offer the Home Secretary my resignation as the Chairman of SOCA.

This is a huge disappointment to me personally because I have been assiduous about avoiding conflicts of interest throughout a public service career spanning almost 40 years. And I should make clear, once again, that this is completely unconnected with the evidence I gave to the Select Committee, by which I stand, or issues associated with Private Investigators.

I very much regret that this may damage the reputation of an Agency with which I have been immensely proud to have been associated for the last four years and which I was looking forward to seeing into the new National Crime Agency, of which I remain a strong and committed supporter.

I should also like to take this opportunity to thank you and your colleagues on the Committee for the close interest you have taken in the business of SOCA over the last four years, in particular. The Committee’s recognition of the impact our officers have had on countering the threat of organised crime both in the UK and around the world has been greatly appreciated.