Decision

Advice letter: Indra Morris, Senior Advisor, Newton Europe Limited

Published 23 July 2025

1. BUSINESS APPOINTMENT APPLICATION: Indra Morris CB, Director General, Families Group, Department for Education. Paid appointment with Newton Europe Limited.

Ms Morris sought advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (the Committee) under the government’s Business Appointments Rules for Former Crown Servants (the Rules) on taking up a role as Senior Advisor with Newton Europe Limited (Newton).

The purpose of the Rules is to protect the integrity of the government. The Committee has considered the risks associated with the actions and decisions made during Ms Morris’s time in office, alongside the information and influence he may offer Newton. The material information taken into consideration by the Committee is set out in the annex.

The Committee’s advice is not an endorsement of the appointment - it imposes a number of conditions to mitigate the potential risks to the government associated with the appointment under the Rules.

The Rules set out that Crown servants must abide by the Committee’s advice^{[footnote 1]}. It is an applicant’s personal responsibility to manage the propriety of any appointment. Former Crown servants are expected to uphold the highest standards of propriety and act in accordance with the 7 Principles of Public Life.

2. The Committee’s consideration of the risks presented 

Newton is a UK-based consultancy specialising in operational improvement, working across public and private sectors, including central government, defence, retail, services, adult social care, aerospace, healthcare and manufacturing. Newton has a relationship with government, including having previously held contracts with Ms Morris’ previous department - the Department for Education (DfE).

Ms Morris had no involvement in Newton’s contracts with DfE, which have in recent months expired. Ms Morris made no decisions, whether policy, commercial or otherwise, specific to the company. The Committee considered the risk this role could reasonably be considered as a reward for decisions made or actions taken in office was low.

This appointment may overlap with Ms Morris’s former work due to Newton’s broad range of operational responsibilities. However, owing to the time passed – over 16 months – since she left her post, DfE has no concerns about her access to privileged information and has flagged no specific information that would provide Newton an unfair advantage. The risks relating to her access to information are therefore limited, but are greater should she be asked to advise clients who were affected by matters of policy that relate to areas she had direct involvement in as part of her former role. Newton’s potential clients, and Ms Morris’s specific work, are unknown and it is not possible to determine exactly which clients might raise risks under the rules. There is therefore a risk of possible unfair advantage, or a perception of one.

The Committee considered there also to be risks associated with Ms Morris’s influence and network of contacts in government, particularly because the role that she seeks to take up involves positioning and marketing in central government – which could be construed as seeking to influence the UK government on Newton’s behalf.  That would be contrary to the lobbying ban which applies to all former senior civil servants for two years on leaving office.

Ms Morris said that, while the Rules apply, the role will be restricted to exclude lobbying or direct sales. It is significant that Newton confirmed her role will not involve lobbying or engagement with government, or any aspect of the company’s commercial or procurement process.

3. The Committee’s advice

In respect of the risk of providing or being perceived to provide an unfair advantage via advising unknown clients on policy areas that she was directly involved in, the Committee is applying a broad condition that prevents Ms Morris from advising the company or its clients on such matters.

Though Ms Morris confirmed that there will be no lobbying of the government in this role, in line with the expectations set out in the Rules, this is a wide-ranging advisory role so there remains a risk of her being perceived to offer Newton unfair access to government. It is significant that Newton has confirmed compliance with this advice.

The Committee advises, under the government’s Business Appointment Rules, that Ms Morris’s role with Newton Europe Limited should be subject to the following conditions:

• she should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of herself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to her from her time in Crown service;

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or any of its arm’s length bodies on behalf of Newton Europe Limited (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); nor should she make use, directly or indirectly, of her contacts in the government and/or Crown service contacts to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage Newton Europe Limited (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients);

• for two years from her last day in Crown service, she should not provide advice to Newton Europe Limited (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients) on the terms of, or with regard to the subject matter of, a bid with, or contract relating directly to the work of the the UK government or its arm’s length bodies; and

• for two years from her last day in Crown service, she should not advise Newton Europe Limited (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients) on any work with regard to any policy, commercial or operational work which she had a material role in developing or determining as Director General, Families Group, Department for Education, or where she had a relationship with the company or organisation during her time in that role.

The advice and the conditions under the government’s Business Appointment Rules relate to an applicant’s previous role in government only; they are separate from rules administered by other bodies such as the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and the Registrar of Lords’ Interests^{[footnote 2]}. It is an applicant’s personal responsibility to understand any other rules and regulations they may be subject to in parallel with this Committee’s advice.

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 Civil Service 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’.

You must inform us as soon as your appointment is live or is announced. You must also inform us if you propose to extend or otherwise change the nature of this work as, depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary for you to make a fresh application.

Once this work has been publicly announced or set up, we will publish this letter on the Committee’s website, and where appropriate, refer to it in the relevant annual report.

4. Annex – Material information

4.1 The role

Newton Europe Limited (Newton) is a UK-based consultancy specialising in operational improvement, working across public and private sectors, including central government, defence, retail, services, adult social care, aerospace, healthcare and manufacturing.

Ms Morris proposes to work with Newton as Senior Advisor, a consulting role with services provided on an ad hoc basis. It will be primarily focused on assisting Newton:

• in the development of its service offering, positioning and marketing in central government;

• to set and steer their sector strategy, business plans and account strategy;

• development of staff skills and capability.

Ms Morris has stated that, while the Rules apply, the role will be restricted to exclude lobbying or direct sales.

4.2 Newton Europe Limited 

Ms Morris’ employer confirmed in writing, its understanding of, and agreement to comply with, the Committee’s advice. Newton stated that:

‘Ms Morris’ role will not involve external lobbying or engagement with government departments (ministers or officials) on Newton’s behalf, or any aspects of the commercial or procurement process.’

Newton affirmed that the restrictions will be complied with by incorporating them into the company’s internal compliance process via the following:

‘Clearly define Ms. Morris’ role to avoid conflicts with her previous government responsibilities. Provide internal oversight to prevent conflicts of interest. Ensure any contact with government stakeholders is appropriately managed. Offer training and guidance to our teams on ACOBA’s Rules.’

4.3 Dealings in office

Ms Morris advised the Committee that she did not meet with Newton whilst in office except to observe presentation of work in progress on a contract for a colleague relating to her policy area at DfE (special educational needs). She said made no decisions specifically affecting the company and did not have access to information that could provide an unfair advantage. 

4.4 Department Assessment

DfE confirmed the details provided by Ms Morris.

The department confirmed that it had had contractual relationships with Newton, now expired, in which Ms Morris had no involvement.

The department flagged no concerns about this appointment and recommended the standard conditions.

1. Which apply by virtue of the Civil Service Management Code, The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, The King’s Regulations and the Diplomatic Service Code ↩

2. All Peers and Members of Parliament are prevented from paid lobbying under the House of Commons Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Members of the House of Lords. Advice on the various obligations under the Codes can be sought from the Parliamentary Commissioners for Standards, in the case of MPs, or the Registrar of Lords’ Interests, in the case of peers. ↩