§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 November,Official Report, column 70, what rules apply to prevent possible conflicts of interest in cases where serving officials in his Department have held directorships in companies as part of the staff development programme involving contact between Whitehall and business.
§ Mr. Robert B JonesOfficials are not nominated for non-executive directorships of companies whose sector of business is the concern of their management or policy responsibilities in the Department. If they are posted to new official duties which create such a conflict of interest, they resign the directorship. In common with all members of staff, officials holding non-executive directorships are required to observe the Department's rules of conduct governing the use of official information and experience, and the avoidance of conflicts of interest or the appearance of such conflicts; in particular, they should as directors declare an interest and withdraw from discussion of any dealings between the company concerned and the Department, and within the Department they should declare an interest and withdraw from any involvement in official business involving that company. In order to avoid personal financial interest officials do not receive fees for their directorships; in cases where fees are payable, they are surrendered to the Exchequer.
§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 November 1994,Official Report, column 70, what considerations underlay the decision not to keep records of the public limited companies to which he refers.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe corporate status of the host organisation has not been relevant to the staff development objectives of non-executive directorships, which have been held in a variety of organisations, some not being companies. However, in all cases the same rules governing the avoidance of conflicts of interest have applied.