Transparency data

Business appointment rules return - March 2025

Published 26 June 2025

PRO FORMA FOR TRANSPARENCY INFORMATION ABOUT OUTSIDE APPOINTMENTS OR EMPLOYMENT TAKEN UP BY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT AT SCS1 AND SCS2 LEVEL AND EQUIVALENTS INCLUDING SPECIAL ADVISERS OF EQUIVALENT STANDING

• Transparency about the advice given on individual applications under the Business Appointment Rules helps to ensure the maintenance of a high level of compliance.
• The Rules require departments to publish on their websites summary information about the advice they give to applicants at SCS2 and SCS1 level and equivalents, including special advisers of equivalent standing.
• This follows the approach adopted by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments which publishes information on the advice it gives on applications from SCS3 level and above and equivalents, including special advisers of equivalent standing – see http://acoba.independent.gov.uk/

• Published information should include the following details:

  • Full name of the applicant, and title of their former Civil Service role;
  • Date applicant left/retired from the Civil Service;
  • The applicant’s new employment or appointment, including when taken up;
  • Summary of the department’s decision on the applicant’s application, including details of any waiting period or other conditions or restrictions applied.
• Departments may wish to use the pro forma overleaf for this purpose.
• It is important that departments do not publish any information until the applicant has taken up the appointment or employment, or it has been publicly announced.
• No information should be published where the applicant does not take up a proposed appointment or employment.
• Applicants should be informed about publication and be given the opportunity to check the text before it goes live on the website.

PRO FORMA FOR TRANSPARENCY INFORMATION ABOUT OUTSIDE APPOINTMENTS OR EMPLOYMENT TAKEN UP BY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT AT SCS1 AND SCS2 LEVEL AND EQUIVALENTS (INCLUDING SPECIAL ADVISERS OF EQUIVALENT STANDING)

Full Name of Applicant	Philip Witcherley
Title of Former Civil Service Role	Deputy Director, Business, Trade and Culture
Date Left/Retired from the Civil Service	February 2025
New Employer	North East Combined Authority
New Appointment/Employment (including when taken up)	Director of Economy and Innovation (March 2025)
Department’s Decision on Application (including details of any waiting period or other conditions or restrictions applied)	Philip must not draw on any privileged information which was available to him from his time in HM Treasury, nor use contacts gained from his time as a civil servant to further his private interest or the interests of others.
	Philip should be recused and his access removed from all policy that has an impact on the North East and the North East Combined Authority during his notice period.
	In addition, a lobbying ban of six months applies from Philip’s last day of crown service during which he must not lobby HM Government. However, this lobbying ban need not prevent communications with Government on matters that are an integral part of the normal course of business for the North East Combined Authority.
	Philip must inform the Permanent Secretary’s office if he wishes to undertake any new appointments (whether paid or unpaid) within two years following his last day of crown service, and we will advise him on whether a further BARs application is required. He must do this before accepting any new offer of employment or appointment.