Decision

Advice Letter: Patrick Vallance, Board Member of Human Health and Potential, International Advisory Council Singapore , National Research Foundation Singapore

Published 21 August 2023

1. BUSINESS APPOINTMENT APPLICATION: Sir Patrick Vallance, former Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Cabinet Office. Paid appointment with National Research Foundation Singapore.

Sir Partrick 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 with the National Research Foundation Singapore as a Board Member of Human Health and Potential, International Advisory Council Singapore.

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 Sir Patrick’s time in office, alongside the information and influence the former Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) may offer the National Research Foundation Singapore. 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^{[footnote 1]} set out that Crown servants must abide by the Committee’s advice. 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 risk presented

The Committee^{[footnote 2]} noted the overlap with Sir Patrick’s time in office was limited. He did meet with the Chairman of NRF Singapore to share information about of Covid and the Singaporean response. Both Sir Patrick and the department confirmed no decisions were taken as a result. The risk this role could reasonably be perceived as a reward for decisions or actions in office is low.

Sir Patrick will be advising the Singaporian government on major global health, biomedical sciences and on improvements in health and well-being for Singaporeans. The Committee noted the department’s view that he has no access to information that would be of particular advantage to NRF Singapore. Further, he has a duty of confidentiality and is subject to a waiting period of 3 months to provide a gap between access to information within government and taking up an outside role.

The Committee considered there is an inherent risk of Sir Patrick’s influence and network of contacts he developed from his time in government. As such there is a risk his network and influence might be used to assist the National Research Foundation Singapore improperly.

The Committee noted as an allied nation Singapore already has an established relationship with the UK government, though Sir Patrick’s role is internal to the Singaporean government and will have no contact with the UK government. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) was also consulted and had no concerns with this appointment.

3. The Committee’s advice

The Committee noted the mitigating factors above that help to reduce the risks associated with Sir Patrick’s access to information and contacts. There are standard conditions which prevent individuals from making improper use of privileged information and contacts gained in office, which are set out below and the Committee would draw his attention to these. The Committee noted this is entirely in keeping with his role.

Under government’s Rules, Sir Patrick is subject to a 3 month waiting period due to his seniority in government. This provides a gap between access to sensitive information at the highest levels of government and taking up any outside appointment.

The Committee advises, under the government’s Business Appointment Rules, that Sir Partrick’s role with National Research Foundation Singapore should be subject to the following conditions:

• a waiting period of three months from his last day in Crown service;

• 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 from his time in Crown service;

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government or any of its Arm’s Length Bodies on behalf of National Research Foundation Singapore (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); nor should he make use, directly or indirectly, of his contacts in the government and/or Crown service contacts to influence policy, secure business/funding or otherwise unfairly advantage National Research Foundation Singapore (including parent companies, subsidiaries, partners and clients); and

• for two years from his last day in Crown service, he should not provide advice to the National Research Foundation Singapore (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.

The advice and the conditions under the government’s Business Appointment Rules relate to an individual’s previous role in government only; they are separate to rules administered by other bodies such as the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists or the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. 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 Sir Patrick takes up employment with this organisation, or if it is announced that he will do so. Please also inform us if Sir Patrick proposes to extend or otherwise change the nature of his role as, depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary for him to make a fresh application.

Once the appointment has been publicly announced or taken 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

Sir Patrick said NRF Singapore provides advice on the International Advisory Council in relation to human health research in Singapore. This is an advisory body within the Singapore Government- the website states NRF Singapore was set up on 1 January 2006, as a department within the Prime Minister’s Office. NRF Singapore sets the national direction for research and development (R&D) by: developing policies, plans and strategies for research, innovation and enterprise. It also funds strategic initiatives and builds R&D capability by nurturing research talent.

Sir Patrick said he will:

• provide advice on major global health, biomedical sciences and human potential research and industry trends that are relevant to Singapore;

• Critique the Human Health and Potential plans, strategies and current initiatives and provide advice for improvements or enhancements; and

• Make recommendations on how the vibrancy and attractiveness of Singapore’s health, biomedical sciences and human potential research and innovation ecosystem could be further advanced.

• Sir Patrick confirmed his role will have no contact with government.

Prior to joining government Sir Patrick said he was President of R&D at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from 2012 until 2017. Prior to this, he was Senior Vice President, Medicines Discovery and Development. He joined the company in May 2006 as Head of Drug Discovery. Prior to joining GSK, he was a clinical academic, Professor of Medicine and led the Division of Medicine at UCL. Specific to this role, he noted that when he worked at GSK he had previously advised the Singapore government on its science system.

4.2 Dealings in office

Sir Patrick said he spoke to the Chairman of NRF Singapore, 3 or 4 times during his time as GCSA in the context of Covid and the Singaporean response. He said members of his private office would have been present on the calls. He stated no decisions were taken, rather it was an exchange of information about Covid.

Sir Patrick said he was involved in many discussions about life sciences in his role as GCSA. Some of which were confidential. He stated none were related to Singapore but were related to UK covid response and issues related to the life sciences sector in the UK.

4.3 Department Assessment

The Cabinet Office confirmed the details Sir Patrick provided, stating they had no relationship with the NRF Singapore.

The department stated while Sir Patrick may possess privileged information on the UK system, it is not clear that these would offer an unfair 6 insight/advantage to the proposed employer given that it operates in a different country with different challenges.

The Cabinet Office had no concerns and recommended the standard conditions.

As the appointment is with a foreign government, the FCDO was consulted which raised no concerns with this appointment.

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. This application for advice was considered by Jonathan Baume; Isabel Doverty; Sarah de Gay; The Rt Hon Lord Pickles; Richard Thomas; Mike Weir and Lord Larry Whitty. Andrew Cumpsty was away. ↩