§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Attorney-General how many assistant directors are seconded from accountancy firms to the Serious Fraud Office; what civil service pay grade they are paid at; what pay they continue to receive from their accountancy firms; and what arrangements are2W in force to prevent conflicts of interest in inquiries into any business handled by the firms from which they are seconded.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThree assistant directors are seconded from accountancy firms to the Serious Fraud Office. Their firms are reimbursed at civil service grade 5 level—with an addition in respect of pension entitlement—and the pay they receive is a matter between themselves and their firms. The arrangements in force to prevent conflicts of interest are:
- i. The secondees are subject to civil service provisions including the attendant duty of confidentiality.
- ii On acceptance of a case, following the vetting procedure, the auditors and financial advisers to companies involved in the investigation will have been identified. The deputy director, who allocates the assistant directors and accountancy teams, will be aware of these and ensure that there is no conflict.
- iii. Prior to a secondment, parent firms confirm that secondees will advise the SFO of any potential conflict of interest. Secondees have access to their firm's client lists to enable them to do so. They are also governed by professional rules relating to conflicts of interest. Such obligations continue after the period of secondment has expired.