Summary of business appointment applications - Mr Edward Timpson
Published 24 January 2018
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Mr Timpson left his role as Minister of State for Vulnerable Children and Families at the Department for Education in June 2017.
1. Member of Advisory Group to the Children’s Commissioner for England
Mr Timpson sought the Committee’s advice about taking up an appointment with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC), which is independent of Government and Parliament and has powers aimed at helping to bring about long-term change and improvements for all children.
Mr Timpson stated this will be an unpaid and part-time role; and that he will advise on how the powers of the Children’s Commissioner can be used to promote and protect children and young people’s rights. He said this will include: providing advice, support, scrutiny and challenge to the OCC to secure the effective delivery of its statutory responsibilities; advise the OCC on key issues and challenges facing children, families and the sector at large; act as a ‘critical friend’ and sounding board for the OCC regarding policies and proposals, informing the policy and strategic priorities; and strengthen relationships between the OCC and the wider children’s services network across the statutory and voluntary sectors as appropriate. Mr Timpson told the Committee he does not expect to have contact with Government in this role.
When considering this application, the Committee noted Mr Timpson had regular meetings with the Children’s Commissioner in his capacity as Minister; and that he was responsible for legislation relevant to the OCC and involved in the governmental discussions on its annual budget. However the Committee took into account the Department for Education confirmed this legislation was enacted prior to the appointment of the current Children’s Commissioner; and that DfE considered there were no policy decisions taken by him during the current Children’s Commissioner’s tenure that would directly impact on his suitability to work with the OCC.
The Committee advised that, in accordance with the Business Appointment Rules, the Committee advises that this appointment be subject to the following conditions:
- he should not draw on (disclose or use for the benefit of himself or the persons or organisations to which this advice refers) any privileged information available to him as a Minister;
- for two years from his last day in ministerial office, he should not involve himself in any work that relates to securing the budget for the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England from the UK Government; and
- for two years from his last day in service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK Government on behalf of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England. This is not intended to prevent him from having routine contact with Government on the activities of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England, in line with his role as a Member of an Advisory Group as described above.
The letter containing the final decision was sent in November 2017 and the appointment was taken up later that month.
Baroness Angela Browning recused herself from this application.