Managing Ministers’ and officials’ conflicts of interest: time for clearer values, principles and action Contents

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Contents

Summary

1 Introduction

Background

ACoBA and the Business Appointment Rules

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s new inquiry

2 The work of ACoBA

ACoBA

The Business Appointment Rules

Administration of the Rules

Changes since 2012

Changes to the Rules

Public servants not vetted by ACoBA

3 The Business Appointment Rules and Lobbying

Introduction to the Rules

Lobbying rules

4 Interchange between the public and private sector

Benefits and risks

The Ministry of Defence

Recruiting expertise externally

Public trust

Transparency of ACoBA’s decision making process

Transparency in the media

5 The importance of values and of the principles behind the Rules

Making Ministers and civil servants aware of the Rules

Embedding ethical standards

6 Revisiting statutory enforcement of the Business Appointment Rules

Conclusions and recommendations

Appendix 1: Annex B from 2006 Civil Service Management Code

Appendix 2: Proposed fifth principle to be added to the Civil Service Code

Formal Minutes

Witnesses

Published written evidence

List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament

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21 April 2017