Correspondence from ACOBA to the Cabinet Office regarding a breach of the Rules (Henry Royce Institute)
Published 10 October 2025
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The Rt Hon Darren Jones MP Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
Dear Mr Jones,
I am writing to you in my capacity as Interim Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) regarding a failure to follow the government’s Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) in respect of announcements of Paul Monks’ appointment as Chair of the Henry Royce Institute.
Professor Monks, former Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, applied for advice on joining the Henry Royce Institute - an organisation described by UKRI as the UK’s home of advanced materials research and innovation - as Chair. Before ACOBA’s advice on the application was provided, the appointment was announced in July 2025 by both the Henry Royce Institute’s website and LinkedIn page, as well as Professor Monks’ own LinkedIn page. Professor Monks has indicated to ACOBA that, though announced, he had not taken up this role until 1 October 2025, three months since his last day in Crown service.
The Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) are set by the government, with the policy owned by the Cabinet Office. The Rules state ‘An application is required for any new appointment or employment that individuals wish to take up during the two year period after leaving office’.
In ACOBA’s experience, the risks under the Rules in these types of appointments are limited. The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of government by considering the real and perceived risks associated with former ministers joining outside organisations. These risks are significantly limited in unpaid cases due to the lack of financial gain to the individual. These cases will normally be subject to a standard set of conditions preventing individuals from drawing on privileged information and lobbying the UK government.
Failure to seek and await advice in this case was a breach of the government’s Rules and the requirements set out in the Civil Service Management Code. However, given the unpaid nature of the role and its low risk, the Committee considers that further government action would be disproportionate.
It is the Committee’s policy to act transparently, including making public any failure to follow the Rules that it is made aware of – correspondence on this matter will be published on our website.
Isabel Doverty Interim Chair ACOBA
Copied to: The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office; Simon Madden,Director of Propriety & Ethics, Cabinet Office; Professor Monks.
Enclosures:
- ACOBA’s letter to DESNZ